ACD SYTEMS AND B.C. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION BRING DIGITAL IMAGING TO OVER 1700 SCHOOLS

ACD Systems International Inc. (TSE: ASA), the digital imaging company, today announced it has entered into a licensing agreement with the British Columbia Ministry of Education to provide ACDs digital imaging software to over 1700 schools. Tens of thousands of students and teachers from kindergarten to grade 12 will have access to ACD Systems award winning, leading edge software.

ACD Systems sells software licenses for up to 35,000 computers for Grades K-12

Victoria, British Columbia - January 14, 2002 - ACD Systems International Inc. (TSE: ASA), the digital imaging company, today announced it has entered into a licensing agreement with the British Columbia Ministry of Education to provide ACDs digital imaging software to over 1700 schools. Tens of thousands of students and teachers from kindergarten to grade 12 will have access to ACD Systems award winning, leading edge software.

The licensing agreement includes ACD Systems digital imaging products ACDSee(tm), the worlds most popular digital image management software, and FotoCanvas(tm), an easy-to-use photo touch-up editor. As part of the agreement, ACD Systems will provide training for teachers and students through online educational tools and other initiatives.

Doug Vandekerkhove, Chair and CEO of ACD Systems said, "The choice of ACDSee(tm) as part of the education of thousands of British Columbia students is evidence of our leading edge technology. B.C. students are managing, printing and sharing digital pictures of class projects and trips, creating multimedia presentations and building Web sites. ACDSee(tm) gives B.C. students the technology advantage required for success in todays world."

This agreement is part of the ongoing educational technology initiatives for the British Columbia Ministry of Education. Over 1700 schools are connected to the Ministrys Internet-based educational tools and resources as part of the Provincial Learning Network, PLNet.

ACD has created a strong foundation in the rapidly growing digital imaging industry. Over 24 million people in over 125 countries use ACDs software to manage, view and edit digital images quickly and easily. ACD Systems has over 33,000 corporate and public sector customers including many of the Fortune 500, the RCMP, National Research Council, the FBI and the White House. The companys flagship product, ACDSee(tm), is being bundled with a wide assortment of digital cameras, scanners and printers from leading vendors including Hewlett-Packard and Pentax. ACD's expansice corporate customer base enables them to streamline digital imaging solutions and strengthen their platform by providing solutions to their various needs.

About ACD Systems International Inc.
Headquartered in British Columbia since 1993, ACD Systems International (TSE: ASA) is one of the worlds leading developers and marketers of digital imaging software. The Company has a history of rapid revenue growth and consistent profitability. ACD has penetrated the global marketplace through advanced Internet distribution and strategic partnerships with manufacturers and developers. ACD has an estimated user-base of 24 million including over 33,000 corporate customers and many Fortune 500 companies. For further details, please visit us at our corporate web site: www.ACDSYSTEMS.com

Other product or services mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Contacts for Investors   

Martin Winstanley,
ACD Systems International Inc.
(250) 544-6700
mwinstanley@acdsystems.com

Ellen Leesti or Jon Kieran
Investor Relations
Hume, Kieran Inc.
(416) 868-1079
ellen@humekieran.com         

Contacts for Media

Dianne Escudé,
ACD Systems International Inc.
(250) 544-6700
descude@acdsystems.com

Ian Anderson or Michael Corcoran
Temple Scott Associates Inc.
(416) 360-6183, ext. 233 and 228
isander@tsa.ca mike@tsa.ca

THIS NEWS RELEASE MAY CONTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS BASED ON THE ESTIMATES AND OPINIONS OF MANAGEMENT AT THE DATE -LOOKING STATEMENTS IF CONDITIONS OR OPINIONS THE STATEMENTS WERE MADE AND THE COMPANY UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE FORWARDSHOULD CHANGE.