Macromedia Extends Leadership In Interactive E-Learning

Integration of Breeze and Captivate enables easy creation, distribution, and presentation of e-learning simulations for virtual classrooms

San Francisco, CA - July 6, 2005 - Macromedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: MACR) announced the close integration of key e-learning products Macromedia Breeze and Macromedia Captivate 1.01, enabling one-click publishing and full tracking of engaging interactive training simulations within Breeze virtual classes and self-paced training courses. Together, Captivate and Breeze can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of software skills instruction, corporate software rollouts, and help-desk applications. Trainers and meeting presenters can easily control Captivate playback within a Breeze meeting, either reviewing simulations with all participants at the same time or selecting “un-sync” mode to let each participant interact with the simulation independently. Interactions with Captivate simulation quizzes are fully tracked within the Breeze system for reporting or in-depth analysis.

“By integrating Captivate and Breeze, Macromedia has created a compelling, rapid e-learning solution,” said Frank Nguyen, e-learning technology manager, Intel Corporation. “Even users with no Flash or programming experience can create, publish, and distribute engaging, media-rich content to a standard web browser, manage and control user access, and track the progress and performance of learners using industry standards such as SCORM and AICC.”

Captivate 1.01 enables users to create professional-quality, interactive simulations and software demonstrations. Without any programming or multimedia skills, users can automatically record onscreen actions, including editable mouse movements, text captions, and scored click boxes, and add e-learning interactions like data-entry fields and customizable quizzes. Small file size and high resolution make Captivate content ideal for rapid application training, user support tutorials, and online product demonstrations.

Macromedia Breeze 5 enables the rapid creation, management, deployment, and tracking of highly engaging online training that everyone can access instantly. Breeze delivers both self-paced courses and virtual classes within a common curriculum and provides extensive tracking and reporting at both the learner and content/question level. In addition to incorporating Captivate content, the Breeze system can manage a wide range of content types, such as content created with Macromedia Flash or Macromedia Authorware.

Captivate and Breeze content is delivered with Macromedia Flash Player, which is currently installed on nearly 600 million Internet-connected desktops and mobile devices. Learners can instantly access Captivate and Breeze content anywhere, anytime without cumbersome downloads. Both solutions support technology standards for web-based learning systems. Content developed with Captivate 1.01 has been independently tested and certified for SCORM 1.2 and is SCORM 2004 and AICC compliant. In addition, Breeze exports content to learning management systems using AICC, SCORM 1.2, or SCORM 2004.

“Macromedia has steadily built the best, most cost-effective solutions for rapid training over 13 years,” said Josh Bersin, principal, Bersin & Associates, and co-author of “Rapid E-Learning: What Works 2005 – Tools and Best Practices for Building E-Learning Programs in Weeks.” “The access and content management controls, superior authoring tools, and overall ease of use make Breeze and Captivate a powerful combination.”

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
The new Captivate 1.01 update is now available for download, free of charge, for current Captivate users. To learn more about Captivate, please visit http://www.macromedia.com/go/captivate. To learn more about Macromedia’s entire line of e-learning solutions, including Breeze and Captivate integration, please visit http://www.macromedia.com/resources/elearning.

ABOUT MACROMEDIA
Experience matters. Macromedia is motivated by the belief that great experiences build great businesses. Our software empowers millions of business users, developers, and designers to create and deliver effective, compelling, and memorable experiences — on the Internet, on fixed media, on wireless, and on digital devices.

Contact Information

Public Relations

Public Relations

Macromedia, Inc.

Contact via E-mail