--  Revolutionary Collaborative Learning Software Honored with BETT Award at
        World's Largest Education Technology Show
    --  Judges laud SMART for innovation, calling SMART amp first of its kind

CALGARY, Jan. 22, 2015 /CNW/ - SMART Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SMT) (TSX: SMA), an innovator and leading provider of collaboration solutions announces that SMART amp((TM)) collaborative learning software is the winner of a prestigious BETT Award. SMART amp won over eight other finalists in the category of Web-based ICT Tools for Learning and Teaching. In selecting SMART amp as the winner, judges called amp software "the first of its kind." The BETT judges said SMART amp is easy-to-use, adding, "It definitely stimulates interactivity and collaboration while promoting creativity and learning across the curriculum. It's good value for the money." BETT in London, U.K. is the world's largest annual education technology show, featuring more than 600 exhibitors and attracting over 35,000 visitors. The BETT Awards play a key role in identifying and rewarding innovative ICT resources and services for use in education. They are considered the highest accolade in the industry.

Launched in 2014, SMART amp is a cloud-based software that lets students co-create content on a digital canvas to enable anywhere, anytime contribution and collaboration on student devices. It provides teachers with real time insight into student learning and contribution and gives them a consistent platform for integrating technology in the classroom with any student device or interactive display. To learn more about SMART amp, watch this video.

SMART amp is receiving strong reviews from teachers. Stacey Buckalew, an Instructional Technology Coach at a school near Atlanta, Georgia says SMART amp "opens the walls of learning. Students aren't confined to their classrooms, they're not confined to their textbooks. They can work in collaborative groups, whether they are sitting next to each other, across the room or at home."

"We are thrilled that SMART amp has been recognized by the BETT Award judges," says Greg Estell, President, Education, SMART Technologies. "We are proud to have created education software that helps students learn by interacting in more natural and authentic ways, inside and outside the classroom."

SMART amp is now available with a suggested price of $8 per student annually in the United States and £5.38 in the U.K. Volume and duration discounts are available. Pricing will vary outside the United States and the U.K. For more pricing information on SMART Notebook and SMART amp, please contact your SMART authorized reseller.

About SMART Solutions for Education

Nearly 70 million teachers and students around the world use SMART solutions for education to make learning more interactive, engaging, effective and fun. A consistent innovator and the inventor of the SMART Board®, SMART's education software includes the revolutionary SMART amp(TM) and the world's most popular collaborative learning software, SMART Notebook®. With a full range of interactive displays, including flat panels, projectors, whiteboards and the SMART kapp(TM) digital capture board, SMART helps educators achieve better learning outcomes. To learn more, visit smarttech.com/education.

About SMART

SMART Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SMT, TSX: SMA) is a world leader in collaboration solutions that are redefining the way the world works and learns. We are an innovator in interactive touch technologies and software that inspire collaboration in both education and businesses around the globe. To learn more, visit smarttech.com.

SMT - M


©2015 SMART Technologies. All third-party product and company names are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. To view a list of SMART trademarks please visit our Trademarks and Guidelines page.

Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.

SOURCE SMART Technologies Inc.