LONDON, September 24 /PRNewswire/ --

Pearson today announced that it has successfully completed the final
stage of the worldwide pilot program for its new computer-based international
academic English language test, Pearson Test of English (PTE).

Pilot testing enabled Pearson to gather information about the technical
functioning of the test administration hardware and software. Pearson
received valuable feedback about the full range of innovative and integrated
item types and obtained direct feedback on test takers' experience and
perceptions of the test.

John de Jong, Vice President for Test Development, Pearson, comments:
"Pearson developed PTE in response to requests from higher education,
government and other customers for a test that more accurately measures the
English communication skills of international students in academic
environments. Response to the pilot test of PTE was enthusiastic. Test takers
appreciated the variety of questions and acknowledged that PTE's authentic
content reflects what they would be likely to encounter in an academic
setting," he adds.

Information was collected on aspects such as, gender, age distribution,
the amount of experience participants had already had with English and the
distribution of participants over countries of birth and citizenship. More
than 92 % of PTE pilot test takers were 17 to 35 years of age -- the target
age for PTE.

PTE was piloted with more than 10,000 candidates in test centers in 21
countries, including China, Japan, India, Australia and the United States.
The pilot test included test takers born in 158 different countries speaking
126 different languages.

Launching globally in 2009, PTE delivers real life measures of test
takers' language ability to universities, higher education institutions,
government agencies and other organizations requiring academic level English.
The new test is being developed and offered to students in collaboration with
the Graduate Management Admission Council(R) (GMAC(R)).

About Pearson

Pearson Language Tests, is part of Pearson plc (NYSE: PSO), the world's
leading international education and information company. It delivers the
London Tests of English (LTE) and the London Tests of English for Children
(LTEfc) in association with the UK's largest examining bodies, Edexcel. PLT
is developing Pearson Test of English (PTE) in collaboration with the
Graduate Management Admission Council(R) (GMAC(R)). For further information,
visit http://www.pearsonplt.com.

Pearson is an international media company with world leading businesses
in education, business information, consumer publishing and testing. Penguin
is one of the world's pre-eminent English language consumer book publishers,
the Financial Times Group is a highly regarded global source of business news
and analysis.

For more information contact pltenquiries@pearson.com.

Web site: http://www.pearsoned.com
              http://www.pearsonplt.com