Bell Atlantic Sponsors High-Tech Exhibit Showcasing 'Classrooms of the Future'

Bell Atlantic Sponsors High-Tech Exhibit
Showcasing 'Classrooms of the Future'

March 18, 1999

NEW YORK -- Virtual high schools, programmable robots, online parent
teacher conferences and student TV will be among the education
technology innovations on display in "TECH: Making the Grade," a new
hands-on exhibition housed at the National Education Association (NEA)
headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Bell Atlantic will join 18 sponsoring organizations on March 22 in
unveiling the exhibit, the first showcasing technologies that are
transforming education in America's public schools. Bell Atlantic's Data
Solutions Group and the Bell Atlantic Foundation, the corporation's
philanthropic arm, have contributed to making the exhibit possible.

Designed by the internationally acclaimed Ontario Science Center, the
3,000 square foot exhibit will host some 10,000 visitors annually who will
explore how technology is reshaping the way teachers teach and students
learn. The exhibition includes 16 interactive areas organized around five
major themes: Classroom Technology, The Business of Schooling,
Distance Learning, Community Links and School-Home Connections.
Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group is providing the Internet connectivity
for the exhibits.

"Developing the technology skills of all our children is critical in today's
environment, where Internet technology is already a major force in our
global economy," said Joe Farina, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic's
Data Solutions Group. "We are proud to partner with the Bell Atlantic
Foundation, the NEA and other corporations and industry associations in
making this exhibit possible."

Supporting technology applications in education is the primary objective
of the Bell Atlantic Foundation. And its president, Suzanne DuBose, said:
"We are pleased to play a major role in sponsoring this interactive exhibit.
'TECH: Making The Grade' will afford policymakers, educators, parents
and community activists an opportunity to experience first-hand the vital
role technology can play in enhancing education for students in our public
schools."

Visitors who step into "TECH: Making the Grade" will experience
business technologies now available in schools and classrooms. Within
the interactive experiences, guests will:

• See how schools and states are using technology, like two-way
  conferencing, to create unique distance learning opportunities.

• Visit a "home" and "classroom" featuring technology that opens the
  lines of communication between schools and families. Visitors will
  experience voice messaging, school/home Web sites, e-mail and
  interactive community cable TV.

• Explore how video, sound and broadcasting technology is letting
  today's students connect with the "real" world and learn valuable work
  skills.

"Technology provides a whole new path to education excellence," said
NEA President Bob Chase. "With support from the Bell Atlantic Data
Solutions Group, the Bell Atlantic Foundation and other partners, this
exhibit should motivate policymakers, educators, parents and community
activists to take action to make technology accessible to all our nation's
children."

"TECH: Making the Grade" will be on display at the NEA building for
three years, and new interactive examples will be added during the life of
the exhibit. Group tours of the exhibit can be scheduled by calling (202)
822-7360 or by visiting www.makingthegrade.org. The exhibition will
also be open during scheduled hours each week for walk-in visitors.

Other business and industry partners sponsoring the exhibition include
Apple Computer, Inc., AT&T, Compaq Computer Corp., Homework
Hotline Educational Services, MBNA America, National Education
Association, Nationwide Financial Services, Inc., NEC Foundation of
America, Prudential, Computer Curriculum Corp., Cisco Systems,
e.magination, Microsoft, NCS, National Cable Television Association,
Software & Information Industry Assoc., U S West and VTEL Corp.

The Bell Atlantic Foundation supports a variety of projects domestically
and internationally, with an emphasis on new technology applications in
education, health and human services, the arts and humanities, and civic
development in the communities served by Bell Atlantic. For more
information, visit www.bellatlanticfoundation.com on the Internet.

Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group (DSG) is dedicated to providing
globally integrated network solutions that seamlessly connect businesses
with their customers, partners and employees. DSG provides all aspects
of data networking from the management and operation of customer
networks and network integration, to network transport and advanced IP
services such as intranets and extranets, virtual private networks, web
hosting and multimedia services. More information on DSG is available
at www.ba-dsg.com on the Internet.

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 42 million telephone access lines
and 8.6 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies
are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services,
market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of
directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's
largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with
operations and investments in 23 countries.