HighWired.com Acquires Vista Associates to Help Deliver Comprehensive Class Management Solution

WATERTOWN, Mass., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- HighWired.com today announced the acquisition of Vista Associates, a leading developer of Web-based collaborative management systems. With this acquisition, HighWired will be able to provide the most comprehensive, feasible class management solution. Nine Vista employees will join the HighWired team in Watertown, Mass.; other terms of the acquisition are undisclosed.

Vista provides a suite of e-learning and administrative tools that greatly complement HighWired's new whole school solution - a product designed to provide schools with a way to incorporate a comprehensive class management system directly into their existing technological infrastructure. HighWired's newest solution includes e-learning tools, administrative functions and a school-wide communication network, in addition to its existing Web-building features. The new e-learning infrastructure solution will be available for the back-to-school season.

``HighWired's acquisition of Vista is essential to our strategy of providing high schools with a time saving, economical school-wide communication solution,'' said Don Young, President and CEO of HighWired.com. ``Our whole school solution is a natural progression for HighWired. We will continue to integrate leading-edge technologies with our Web-building tools in order to improve the high school experience in meaningful ways.''

``We are thrilled to become part of HighWired and deliver a comprehensive class management solution for educators,'' said Paul Cole of Vista, Inc. ``Providing Web-based platforms for effective collaboration and learning is at the heart of Vista. We believe integrating our company with HighWired will allow us to provide educators with a way to best use the Web for innovation and learning, resulting in a true e-learning environment.''

HighWired.com's whole school solution will make e-learning more accessible and customizable for all high schools -- imagine a teaching and learning infrastructure that:

• Provides educators with timesaver tools such as an electronic gradebook and attendance tracking
• Offers access to a comprehensive project and resource database
• Provides instructors with homework management tools to quickly grade assignments, and lets students store homework online for easy ongoing communication with teachers
• Customizes the system for each school and caters to user's individual needs by using the same core technologies and architecture
  

``HighWired and Vista's market knowledge and experience creates a powerful online combination that is well positioned to capture secondary school market opportunities, '' said Andrew Hallowell, partner of DHM Arcadia Partners. ``The merging of technology assets and current user base from both companies provides HighWired with a strong competitive advantage in the evolving e- learning space.''

About HighWired.com

Launched in April 1998, HighWired.com is a leader in the e-learning space that provides easy-to-use Web-based tools and subscription-based class management systems for high schools. HighWired.com partners with leading education and technology companies to provide the highest quality products and services. To date, the network includes more than 14,400 schools in all 50 U.S. states and 76 foreign countries. HighWired.com is a board member of The School Tone Alliance, an education partner of CNNfyi and a premier high school partner of AOL@School. HighWired.com is headquartered in Watertown, Mass. For more information about HighWired.com's products and services, please e- mail info@highwired.com or visit the Web site at www.highwired.com.

About Vista Associates

Vista is a leading developer of Web-based solutions that increase people's ability to work and learn together. Vista's principals have 15 years of experience as researchers and technologists implementing solutions that are the foundation of collaborative enterprise systems. Vista's family of products is based on experience at leading corporations, educational institutions and associations, and research in the human dynamics of education and teamwork. Consistent across these implementations is the theme of using the Web as a dynamic environment for collaboration, communication and information exchange. In Vista Associates' approach the Web becomes a platform for innovation and learning, a competitive and collaborative force in organizations.

For more information about HighWired.com's products and services, please  e-mail info@highwired.com or visit the  Web site at www.highwired.com.