Blackboard Plans to Acquire Course-Management Rival WebCT

By DAN CARNEVALE

Blackboard Inc. said last week that it planned to buy its longtime course-management software rival, WebCT Inc., in a $180-million deal that would make the new corporation the Goliath of its market.

If the deal goes through, the companies would together have more than 3,700 clients, among them nonprofit and for-profit colleges, elementary and secondary schools, corporations, and government agencies.

Matthew S. Pittinsky, chairman of Blackboard, said in an interview at the