Madison, Wisconsin - (The Hosting News) - February 28, 2008 - Automated rich media communications technology firm, Sonic Foundry, Inc. customer, Villanova University's College of Engineering, has been named a finalist of the IMS Global Learning Consortium 2008 Learning Impact Awards.

Villanova University's College of Engineering, a Sonic Foundry customer since 2003, was singled out for its established classroom capture initiative using Mediasite, Sonic Foundry's patented webcasting and knowledge management platform. The Learning Impact Awards recognize advances in technology that address key educational challenges worldwide. Qualifying technology products and services are evaluated in the context of an actual educational institution's implementation for their impact on the global learning industry with criteria including access to learning, efficiency, cost reduction, quality, adoption and interoperability. Studies show that due to the archiving of classes with Mediasite, Villanova's College of Engineering was able to raise average GPAs, increase student satisfaction, lower the overall class dropout rate, and in one particular year, completely eliminate failures from in-class students," said Sean O'Donnell, director of distance education at Villanova's College of Engineering.

Darrin Coulson, Chief Operating Officer of Sonic Foundry noted, ''We are proud to count Villanova University among our customers who continually distinguish themselves in classroom capture and advance education and learning. We congratulate them for earning this prestigious recognition, and on their position as a globally competitive educational institution.''

Sonic Foundry and Villanova University will present Mediasite at the IMS Global Learning Consortium Learning Impact Conference May 12-14 in Austin, Texas, where a panel of global experts will rank the finalists and announce the 2008 award winners. For more information on the conference, visit www.imsglobal.org/learningimpact2008/agenda.html.

IMS Global Learning is a global, nonprofit, member organization that strives to enable the growth and impact of learning technology in the education and corporate learning sectors worldwide. IMS GLC members provide leadership in shaping and growing the learning industry through community development of standards, promotion of innovation, and research into adoption practices. For more information, including the world's most comprehensive set of learning technology interoperability standards, information on the annual Learning Impact conference and awards program, and free community resources for learning technology leaders, visit www.imsglobal.org/.

Founded in 1991, Sonic Foundry provides rich media communications and knowledge management, providing enterprise solutions and services that link an information-driven world. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, the company has received numerous awards including the 2007 Frost and Sullivan Global Market Leadership Award, Ziff Davis Media's Baseline Magazine's sixth fastest-growing software company with sales under $150 million and Deloitte's Technology Fast 500. Named a Bersin and Associates 2007 Learning Leader, Sonic Foundry's webcasting and knowledge management solutions are trusted by education institutions, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies for a variety of critical communication needs.

To learn more, please visit: www.sonicfoundry.com.