Chancery Software and Microsoft .NET Technology Empower Learners And Enhance Solutions for Schools

CHICAGO, June 25, 2001 — Today at the National Educational Computing Conference, Microsoft Corp. and Chancery Software Ltd., a leading North American provider of student management solutions, announced a groundbreaking initiative through which Chancery will deliver a leading application of Microsoft® .NET technologies in K-12 education. Microsoft .NET is the Internet-based technology platform that links applications, services and devices into connected solutions which enable users to act on information any time, any place. Students, parents, teachers, school administrators and district superintendents using Chancery software built on Microsoft .NET technologies will be able to more easily integrate a wider array of academic and administrative resources in an environment tailored to their individual needs and preferences.

“We are excited to work closely with Chancery to bring the benefits of .NET technologies to K-12 schools in North America,”
said Mark East, worldwide general manager of the Education Solutions Group at Microsoft.
“The .NET Platform will fundamentally change the way schools interact with students and parents over the Internet, and Chancery’s leadership in the education marketplace makes it a natural ally for Microsoft in achieving this goal.”

By using .NET technologies, the Chancery solution can instantly alert teachers, administrators and parents to information about individual students. Messaging that can be accessed from a variety of devices can also be sent from students to parents and teachers.

“Microsoft .NET technologies are a vital part of Chancery’s customer focus to provide customized, user-driven student-management solutions,”
said Rick Moignard, president and CEO of Chancery Software.
“By being one of the first companies to bring .NET technologies to the K-12 market, Chancery once again demonstrates its unique leadership position within the education industry.”

The use of Microsoft .NET technologies will enable Chancery to deliver
“smart”
services that allow school districts to improve their management capabilities. Chancery can also extend its Web-based and platform-independent strategy by providing the building blocks to aggregate and integrate distributed Web services through a single compelling user experience.

Chancery’s next evolution of student management solutions will debut such unique features as these:

  • Intelligent agent technology. Until now, school administrators have had to request custom reports to identify problem areas such as a high failure rate among a particular student demographic. Through use of Microsoft .NET technologies, Chancery’s software will data-mine student information in real time and warn administrative users of potential problems based on the user’s subscriber services.

  • Automatic notification. Parents and school administrators will be able to set rules that instruct the system to provide necessary information immediately, including notification of events such as student absences. These alerts can be received on a variety of devices, including cellular phones.

  • Wireless handheld devices. Chancery will expand the concept of single data entry to a multitude of wireless devices, including Pocket PCs. For example, a physical-education teacher will be able to enter track and field times using a Pocket PC that synchronizes data wirelessly with the district’s student information system.

  • Integrated support. The Chancery user experience will be enhanced by a dynamic support infrastructure. Technical-support representatives and knowledge base systems will be fully informed of difficulties and able to offer solutions even before help has been requested. Users also will be able to speak with support representatives using Internet-based video conferencing.

Microsoft’s initiative with Chancery to incorporate .NET technologies into Chancery software is part of Microsoft’s continuing efforts to help schools build a Connected Learning Community in which all students and educators have access to learning any time and any place. More information about Microsoft’s education programs is available on the Microsoft Education Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/education/ .

About Chancery Software

Founded in 1983, Chancery Software is North America’s leading provider of student management solutions and Internet learning communities for districts, schools and homes. Information on more than 13 million students is managed by Chancery’s integrated suite of software products. Chancery’s customers are supported by a network of sales and support personnel across North America. For more information, visit http://www.chancery.com/ .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services, and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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