School Districts Hardest Hit by Hurricanes to Receive 15 Mobile Computer Labs from Dell, Education Partners; Dell, SETDA, Cable in the Classroom Respond to Needs Outlined by Local Educators

Business Wire, Feb 7, 2006

ROUND ROCK, Texas -- Students from 15 hurricane-ravaged school districts in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas soon will have access to educational content thanks to a donation of mobile computer labs from Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) and Cable in the Classroom.

"Now these schools can bring the mobile computer carts from classroom to classroom, giving more students access to technology and information," said Karen Bruett, vice president of Dell's K-12 business. "This donation is an example of how a global company like Dell can help enable local benefits to customers and communities. We encourage other companies and organizations to help us revitalize these schools by donating any products or services they can."

While significantly damaged by the hurricanes, schools receiving these mobile labs are capable of using the technology immediately. The districts include:

Louisiana             Mississippi                      Texas
---------             -----------                      -----
Jefferson Parish      Biloxi School District           Buna ISD

Plaquemines Parish    Moss Point School District       Deweyville ISD

St. Bernard Parish    Pascagoula School District       Nederland ISD

St. Tammany Parish    Bay-Waveland School District     Sabine Pass ISD

Vermilion Parish      Pass Christian School District   Spurger ISD

"These mobile labs provide students with critical access to educational content, both in their classrooms and from the Internet, that had been unavailable since the storms," said Helen Soule, Ph.D., executive director of Cable in the Classroom. "They also demonstrate the powerful role that technology and online resources can play in restoring educational programs after disasters threaten to disrupt learning."

Designed with input from educators, these secure, flexible mobile computer labs provide an average-sized class with a 2:1 student-to-computer ratio or better. They include:

--16 Dell Latitude(TM) laptops

--One Datamation mobile laptop cart

--One wireless access point

--One Dell laser printer

--3 years Dell technical support

--Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003

--Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements Software

--Wireless Internet access

Intel, Microsoft, Adobe, Datamation Systems, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Cable One also contributed to the donations.

"These systems bring new opportunities to students and teachers who have otherwise lost so much," Melinda G. George, executive director of SETDA. "Students can now extend the hours and locations available for learning and study. We're proud to see educational technology play such a critical role in the recovery process."

Dell also will work with SETDA to offer special pricing on identical mobile labs to any schools identified as meeting the eligibility criteria.

EDITOR'S NOTE: vSKOOL, a consortium providing education-related relief to K-12 students, educators and families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, has established an online clearinghouse of donated educational products and services at www.vskool.org. Available items include online courses, test preparation services, software and digital content.

About SETDA

The State Educational Technology Directors Association is the principal association for state directors of technology and their staff members. SETDA provides its membership consisting of 50 states and three territories with opportunities to collaborate and learn from one another as well as the broader ed-tech community through meetings, surveys, conference calls, and online leadership courses. For more information about SETDA and/or its events, visit http://www.setda.org.

About Cable in the Classroom

Cable in the Classroom (CIC), the cable industry's education foundation, works to expand and enhance learning opportunities for children and youth. Created in 1989 to help schools take advantage of educational cable programming and technology, CIC has become a leading national advocate for media literacy education and the for the use of technology and media for learning, as well as a valuable resource of educational cable content and services for policymakers, educators and industry leaders. For more information, visit www.ciconline.org.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) is a trusted and diversified information-technology supplier and partner, and sells a comprehensive portfolio of products and services directly to customers worldwide. Dell, recognized by Fortune magazine as America's most admired company and No. 3 globally, designs, builds and delivers innovative, tailored systems that provide customers with exceptional value. Company revenue for the last four quarters was $54.2 billion. For more information about Dell and its products and services, visit www.dell.com.

Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc.

Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.