BLOOMINGTON, Minn.,
March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/
-- Pearson VUE, the assessment services business of Pearson,
today announced the acquisition of Exam Design Inc, a leading
provider of examination development software used in high-stakes
testing.
The purchase includes ownership of Exam Design's flagship
product, ExamDeveloper, a web-based suite of tools that helps users
develop rigorous and defensible assessments for credentialing
purposes while reducing the reliance on in-person meetings. These
tools will allow Pearson VUE to more fully serve its clients'
current and future test development needs by supporting every step
in the process, including job analysis, item banking, standard
setting, and statistical analysis, with a flexible, user-friendly
solution. ExamDeveloper will also enhance Pearson VUE's test
development offering by streamlining such processes as remote item
authoring, Automated Test Assembly (ATA), version tracking, and
QTI-based test publishing.
Pearson VUE has been working with Exam Design for over a year
and currently publishes exams created through ExamDeveloper for a
variety of clients. Because the company has been a proven and
trusted technology partner, Pearson VUE is confident the
acquisition is a good fit from both a technological and cultural
perspective. Headquartered in North
Carolina, the Exam Design business and its employees will
remain in their current locations, further supporting a seamless
acquisition.
"We're very enthusiastic about joining the Pearson VUE family of
products and services," said Scott
Bublitz, Ph.D., founder of Exam Design. "By formally
integrating our exam development technology with Pearson VUE's
comprehensive suite of testing services, together we can offer
credentialing organizations an unparalleled solution that supports
every facet of high-stakes testing. Clients will enjoy a more
streamlined and efficient process, from item authoring through exam
delivery."
Robert Whelan, CEO and President
of Pearson VUE, said: "Exam Design brings to Pearson VUE
leading-edge test development technology that's built on principles
of psychometric integrity. Its expertise and services complement
our own and fit perfectly with our future plans. This acquisition
underscores our commitment to providing next-generation test
development tools and services that support and protect the value
of our clients' credentials."
About Pearson VUE
Pearson VUE (www.pearsonvue.com) is
the global leader in computer-based testing for information
technology, academic, government and professional testing programs
around the world. Pearson VUE provides a full suite of services
from test development to data management, and delivers exams
through the world's most comprehensive and secure network of test
centers in more than 175 countries. Pearson VUE is a business of
Pearson (NYSE: PSO; LSE: PSON), the world's leading learning
company.
About Exam Design
Exam Design (www.examdesign.com)
creates software that organizations can use to develop, maintain,
and analyze high-stakes examinations. Exam Design software is built
by testing experts with years of experience designing hundreds of
examinations for associations, corporations and government entities
across the United States. Their
flagship product, ExamDeveloper, streamlines and enhances the test
creation process while maintaining a high degree of validity.
SOURCE Pearson VUE