Nov 04, 2014 01:18 PM EST By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Chegg and Blackboard are teaming up to help students persist and graduate at higher rates.

The partnership will allow Chegg's self-directed learning services -- Chegg study, Chegg Tutors and Chegg Career Center -- to be accessible within Blackboard Inc.'s market-leading teaching and learning environment. According to Chegg's own user research, 87 percent of students said Chegg Study helped them better understand their homework and 75 percent said it better prepared them for exams.

"Blackboard and Chegg share a commitment to improving student outcomes through high-quality and affordable learning services designed to improve academic and career outcomes," said Nathan Schultz, Chegg's Chief Learning Officer. "Together, we believe we can deliver powerful learning services to the millions of learners and teachers that Blackboard supports through their innovative learning solutions."

Chegg's self-directed learning solutions will now be available for faculty and students to use directly from within the Blackboard learning environment. Universities leverage Blackboard solutions to create collaborative learning environments for students and provide a platform where instructors can create and assign projects, keep track of lesson progress by student, and assist students in their coursework.

"Together, we are working towards a goal shared by students, institutions, faculty, Blackboard and Chegg: better outcomes and higher graduation rates," Jim Hermens, vice president of content partnerships at Blackboard, said in a statement.

Hermens said this program will put students in a better position to master their coursework, persist in their schooling, and ultimately be able to graduate at higher rates than they do today.

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit