PEARSON EDUCATION CANADA AND SOUNDS VIRTUAL FORM STRATEGIC PARTNERSHP

Alliance To Provide Online Courses to Support Pearson Education Canada’s Modern Language Texts

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA—July 1st, 2003— Pearson Education Canada, a division of Pearson Education, the world’s largest educational publisher (NYSE:PSO), today announced a strategic partnership with Toronto-based high-tech developer Sounds Virtual Inc. The partnership will offer Canadian customers the capability to teach and learn modern language courses based on Pearson Education Canada texts on an online language learning solution called CAN-8 VirtuaLab.

David Jolliffe, Manager, New Media and Editorial Services for Pearson Education Canada, said, “Teachers and students have benefited from using our popular modern language texts. With this partnership, we can now offer Canadian students and instructors the added value of a convenient online lab that will reinforce concepts through self-paced practice, instant feedback, and clear example.”

Brian McElwain, Sound Virtual’s President and CEO, said the partnership builds on the strengths of the two companies. “With Pearson Education Canada, we find an experienced, knowledgeable and worldwide publisher of modern language educational products. Combined with our CAN-8 VirtuaLab platform, which is used by schools around the world, we are poised to deliver students and instructors a combination of online learning tools for all levels of modern languages.”