(ALEXANDRIA, VA) April 24, 2002- For the first time, The ASTD (American Society for Training & Development) Certification Institute has awarded its prestigious E-Learning Courseware Certification (ECC) to an entire library of Web-based courseware.

"Development Dimensions International (DDI) is the first company to bring its entire library into compliance with the rigorous standards of the Institute's E-Learning Courseware Certification," said Tom Kelly, chair of ASTD's Certification Institute Board of Directors. "DDI has shown itself to be a pioneer in realizing the importance of seeking a gold standard for its Web-based training." 

The certification was granted to DDI's library after a rigorous evaluation of the courses' usability and instructional design. The certification indicates that the Web-based courseware demonstrates the characteristics associated with excellent instruction.

"DDI is very pleased to receive ASTD's E-Learning Courseware Certification for our entire Web-based training library, which includes Targeted Selection(R) and 24 leadership and workforce development courses from Interaction Management(R) and Techniques," said Richard S. Wellins, DDI's senior vice president of global marketing and business development. "To know that DDI's Web-based training library was the first to meet the ECC's rigorous set of usability and instructional design standards, to have been judged on those standards by some of our industry's leading experts, and to be the charter member of ASTD's Platinum Vanguard Circle, makes us extremely proud."

The ASTD E-Learning Courseware Certification seeks not only to elevate the quality of e-learning offerings, but also to provide guidance to trainers and suppliers facing a daunting array of e-learning courseware.

ASTD is the world's leading association of workplace learning and performance professionals, forming a world-class community of practice.  ASTD's 70,000 members come from more than 100 countries and 15,000 organizations - multinational corporations, medium-sized and small businesses, government, academia, consulting firms, and product and service suppliers. Founded in 1944, ASTD is now a global force, widening the industry's focus to connect learning and performance to measurable results, and is a sought-after voice on critical public policy issues. For more information, visit www.astd.org.

Since 1970, DDI has helped thousands of organizations achieve superior business performance through selecting, developing, and retaining extraordinary people. DDI's two major areas of expertise include:
-Building leadership capacity and capability, enabling organizations to meet their current and emerging business needs.
-Helping companies find and hire better people faster.
DDI's innovative solutions, including Web-based technologies, are customized to the needs of each client by a team of 1,000 experienced associates in 70 locations around the world. For more information about DDI, visit www.ddiworld.com .