EXHIBIT 1.01

NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
FORM UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
DRAFT OF MARCH 31, 1998

___________ SHARES

ASYMETRIX LEARNING SYSTEMS, INC.

COMMON STOCK

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

, 1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                               PAGE

Section 1.       Representations and Warranties of the Company................   2

          (a)    Compliance with Registration Requirements....................   2
          (b)    Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters.................   3
          (c)    Distribution of Offering Material by the Company.............   3
          (d)    The Underwriting Agreement...................................   3
          (e)    Authorization of the Common Shares...........................   3
          (f)    No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Right............   3
          (g)    No Material Adverse Change...................................   3
          (h)    Independent Accountants......................................   4
          (i)    Preparation of the Financial Statements......................   4
          (j)    Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and Its
                 Subsidiaries..................................................  5
          (k)    Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters...............   5
          (l)    Stock Exchange Listing.......................................   6
          (m)    Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further
                 Authorizations or Approvals Required.........................   6
          (n)    No Material Actions or Proceedings...........................   6
          (o)    Intellectual Property Rights.................................   7
          (p)    All Necessary Permits, Etc...................................   7
          (q)    Title to Properties..........................................   7
          (r)    Tax Law Compliance...........................................   7
          (s)    Company Not an ``Investment Company''........................   7
          (t)    Insurance....................................................   8
          (u)    No Price Stabilization or Manipulation.......................   8
          (v)    Related-Party Transactions...................................   8
          (w)    No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments..................   8
          (x)    Company's Accounting System..................................   8
          (y)    Compliance with Environmental Laws...........................   9
          (z)    ERISA Compliance.............................................   9


Section 2.       Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Common Shares.............  10

                The Firm Common Shares........................................  10
                The First Closing Date........................................  10
                The Optional Common Shares; the Second Closing Date...........  10
                Public Offering of the Common Shares..........................  11
                Payment for the Common Shares.................................  11

i.

                                                                               PAGE
           Delivery of the Common Shares.....................................  11
           Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters........................  12

Section 3. Additional Covenants of the Company...............................  12

          (a)  Representatives' Review of Proposed Amendments and
               Supplements...................................................  12
          (b)  Securities Act Compliance.....................................  12
          (c)  Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other
               Securities Act Matters........................................  13
          (d)  Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus....  13
          (f)  Use of Proceeds...............................................  13
          (g)  Transfer Agent................................................  13
          (h)  Earnings Statement............................................  13
          (i)  Periodic Reporting Obligations................................  14
          (j)  Company to Provide Copy of the Prospectus in Form That May be
               Downloaded from the Internet..................................  14
          (k)  Agreement Not To Offer or Sell Additional Securities..........  14
          (l)  Future Reports to the Representatives.........................  15

Section 4. Payment of Expenses...............................................  15

Section 5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters.................  16

          (a)  Accountants' Comfort Letter...................................  16
          (b)  Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No
               Objection from NASD...........................................  16
          (c)  No Material Adverse Change....................................  17
          (d)  Opinion of Counsel for the Company............................  17
          (e)  Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters.......................  17
          (f)  Officers' Certificate.........................................  17
          (g)  Bring-down Comfort Letter.....................................  18
          (h)  Lock-Up Agreement from Certain Stockholders of the Company....  18
          (i)  Additional Documents..........................................  30

Section 6. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses...........................  18

Section 7. Effectiveness of this Agreement...................................  19

Section 8. Indemnification...................................................  19

ii.

          (a)  Indemnification of the Underwriters...........................  19
          (b)  Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers....  20
          (c)  Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures............  21
          (d)  Settlements...................................................  22

Section 9.  Contribution.....................................................  22

Section 10. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters...............  23

Section 11. Termination of this Agreement....................................  24

Section 12. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery..............  25

Section 13. Notices..........................................................  25

Section 14. Successors.......................................................  26

Section 15. Partial Unenforceability.........................................  26

Section 16. Governing Law Provisions ........................................  26

           (a) Consent to Jurisdiction.......................................  26
           (b) Waiver of Immunity............................................  26

Section 18. General Provisions...............................................  27

iii.

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

, 1998

NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES LLC
BANCAMERICA ROBERTSON STEPHENS
HAMBRECHT & QUIST LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters c/o NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES LLC
600 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California 94111

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[___]), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Common Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the ``Securities Act''), including any information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434 under the Securities Act, is called the ``Registration Statement.'' Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act is called the ``Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,'' and from and after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration

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Statement the term ``Registration Statement'' shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Such prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to confirm sales of the Common Shares, is called the ``Prospectus''; provided, however, if the Company has, with the consent of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC, elected to rely upon Rule 434 under the Securities Act, the term ``Prospectus'' shall mean the Company's prospectus subject to completion (each, a ``preliminary prospectus'') dated [___] (such preliminary prospectus is called the ``Rule 434 preliminary prospectus''), together with the applicable term sheet (the ``Term Sheet'') prepared and filed by the Company with the Commission under Rules 434 and 424(b) under the Securities Act and all references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall mean the date of the Term Sheet. All references in this Agreement to (i) the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the Term Sheet, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (``EDGAR'') and (ii) the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the ``electronic Prospectus'' provided for use in connection with the offering of the Common Shares as contemplated by Section 3(k) of this Agreement.

The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:

SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the Commission's satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to EDGAR (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding

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sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives expressly for use therein. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required.

(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters. The Company has delivered to the Representatives three (3) complete manually signed copy of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits) and preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Representatives has reasonably requested for each of the Underwriters.

(c) Distribution of Offering Material by the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Second Closing Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters' distribution of the Common Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Common Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.

(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.

(e) Authorization of the Common Shares. The Common Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

(g) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, operations or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the

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ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (any such change is called a ``Material Adverse Change''); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, any of its subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.

(h) Independent Accountants. KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to certain of the financial statements of the Company and Communications Strategies, Inc. (``CSI'') (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and supporting schedules filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus, are independent public or certified public accountants as required by the Securities Act. Ernst & Young LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to certain of the financial statements of the Company (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus, are independent public or certified public accountants as required by the Securities Act. Arthur Andersen LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements of Aimtech Corporation (``Aimtech'') (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus, are independent public or certified public accountants as required by the Securities Act.

(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. The supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. Such financial statements and supporting schedules have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of Aimtech and CSI and their respective subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. The financial data set forth in the Prospectus under the captions ``Prospectus Summary-Summary Consolidated Financial Data,'' ``Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data'' and ``Capitalization'' fairly present the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement. The pro forma consolidated financial

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information of the Company and its subsidiaries and the related notes thereto included under the captions ``Prospectus Summary-Summary Consolidated Financial Data'' and ``Selected Pro Forma Consolidated Financial Data'' and elsewhere in the Prospectus and in the Registration Statement present fairly the information contained therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. No other financial statements or schedules of the Company or any other entity are required to be included in the Registration Statement pursuant to any requirement of the Act or any rules and regulations thereunder, including Rule 3-05 of Regulation S-X.

(j) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and Its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the State of Washington and each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions (other than the State of Washington) where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and nonassessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.01 to the Registration Statement.

(k) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption ``Capitalization'' (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon exercise of outstanding options or warrants described in the Prospectus). The Common Stock (including the Common Shares) conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other

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than those accurately described in the Prospectus. The description of the Company's stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

(l) Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Shares have been approved for inclusion on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(m) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (``Default'') under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (each, an ``Existing Instrument''), except for such Defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company's execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Prospectus (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, except for such conflicts, breaches, Defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company or any subsidiary. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company's execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the ``NASD'').

(n) No Material Actions or Proceedings. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the best of the Company's knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of, or property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) relating to environmental or discrimination matters, where in any such case (A) there is a reasonable possibility that such action, suit or proceeding might be determined adversely to the Company or such subsidiary and (B) any such action, suit or proceeding, if so determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company

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or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the best of the Company's knowledge, is threatened or imminent.

(o) Intellectual Property Rights. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, licenses, approvals, trade secrets and other similar rights (collectively, ``Intellectual Property Rights'') reasonably necessary to conduct their businesses as now conducted; and the expected expiration of any of such Intellectual Property Rights would not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would result in a Material Adverse Change.

(p) All Necessary Permits, Etc. The Company and each subsidiary possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could result in a Material Adverse Change.

(q) Title to Properties. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in the Prospectus, in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects, except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or such subsidiary. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company or such subsidiary.

(r) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns or have properly requested extensions thereof and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1 above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

(s) Company Not an ``Investment Company.'' The Company has been advised of the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the

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``Investment Company Act''). The Company is not, and after receipt of payment for the Common Shares will not be, an ``investment company'' within the meaning of Investment Company Act and will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.

(t) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither of the Company nor any subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

(u) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Common Shares.

(v) Related-Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters set forth therein.

(w) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company's knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.

(x) Company's Accounting System. The Company maintains a system of accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific

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authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(y) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law or regulation relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including without limitation, laws and regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products (collectively, ``Materials of Environmental Concern''), or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environment Concern (collectively, ``Environmental Laws''), which violation includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with any permits or other governmental authorizations required for the operation of the business of the Company or its subsidiaries under applicable Environmental Laws, or noncompliance with the terms and conditions thereof, nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries received any written communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any Environmental Law; (ii) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or governmental authority, no investigation with respect to which the Company has received written notice, and no written notice by any person or entity alleging potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental responses costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, attorneys' fees or penalties arising out of, based on or resulting from the presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental Concern at any location owned, leased or operated by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, now or in the past (collectively, ``Environmental Claims''), pending or, to the best of the Company's knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law; and (iii) to the best of the Company's knowledge, there are no past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that reasonably could result in a violation of any Environmental Law or form the basis of a potential Environmental Claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law.

(z) ERISA Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries and any ``employee benefit plan'' (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, ``ERISA'')) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their ``ERISA Affiliates'' (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. ``ERISA Affiliate'' means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations

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described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the ``Code'') of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No ``reportable event'' (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any ``employee benefit plan'' established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No ``employee benefit plan'' established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such ``employee benefit plan'' were terminated, would have any ``amount of unfunded benefit liabilities'' (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under
(i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any ``employee benefit plan'' or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each ``employee benefit plan'' established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

SECTION 2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE COMMON SHARES.

The Firm Common Shares. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters the Firm Common Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Firm Common Shares set forth opposite their names on

The First Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Firm Common Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC, 600 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, California (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representatives) at 6:00 a.m. San Francisco time, on [___________, 1998], or such other time and date not later than 10:30 a.m. San Francisco time, on [__________, 1998] as the Representatives shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the ``First Closing Date''). The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which the Representatives may provide notice to postpone the First Closing Date as originally scheduled include, but are in no way limited to, any determination by the Company or the Representatives to recirculate to the public copies of an amended or supplemented Prospectus or a delay as contemplated by the provisions of Section 10.

The Optional Common Shares; the Second Closing Date. In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of [___] Optional Common Shares from the Company at the purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Common Shares. The option granted hereunder is for use by the

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Public Offering of the Common Shares. The Representatives hereby advises the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as described in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Common Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been declared effective as the Representatives, in its sole judgment, has determined is advisable and practicable.

Payment for the Common Shares. Payment for the Common Shares shall be made at the First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Second Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company.

It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for its own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Common Shares and any Optional Common Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC, individually and not as the Representatives of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Common Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representatives by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

Delivery of the Common Shares. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters certificates for the

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Firm Common Shares at the First Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company shall also deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters, certificates for the Optional Common Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The certificates for the Common Shares shall be in definitive form and registered in such names and denominations as the Representatives shall have requested at least two full business days prior to the First Closing Date (or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be) and shall be made available for inspection on the business day preceding the First Closing Date (or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be) at a location in New York City as the Representatives may designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters. Not later than 12:00 p.m. on the second business day following the date the Common Shares of released by the Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall delivery or cause to be delivered copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places as the Representatives shall request.

SECTION 3. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company further covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Representatives' Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. During such period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the First Closing Date or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer (the ``Prospectus Delivery Period''), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement (including any registration statement filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act) or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably objects.

(b) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Representatives in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and
(iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the

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threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 434, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) were received in a timely manner by the Commission.

(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company agrees to promptly prepare (subject to Section 3(A)(a) hereof), file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.

(d) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The Company agrees to furnish the Representatives, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Representatives may request.

(e) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Common Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption ``Use of Proceeds'' in the Prospectus.

(f) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Stock.

(g) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the twelve-month period ending [___]/1/ that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.

/1/ Will be the date of the end of the Company's first quarter ending after one year following the ``effective date of the Registration Statement'' (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Securities Act).
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(h) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the Nasdaq National Market all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act.

(i) Company to Provide Copy of the Prospectus in Form That May Be Downloaded from the Internet. The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered, at its expense, within one business day from the effective date of this Agreement, to NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC an ``electronic Prospectus'' to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Common Shares. As used herein, the term ``electronic Prospectus'' means a form of Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC, that may be transmitted electronically by NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC and the other Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Common Shares for at least the Prospectus Delivery Period; (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper Prospectus and Prospectus filed pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the electronic Prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be in or convertible into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC, that will allow investors to store and have continuously ready access to the Prospectus at any future time, without charge to investors (other than any fee charged for subscription to the system as a whole and for on-line time). Such electronic Prospectus may consist of a Rule 434 preliminary prospectus, together with the applicable Term Sheet, provided that it otherwise satisfies the format and conditions described in the immediately preceding sentence. The Company hereby confirms that it has included or will include in the Prospectus filed pursuant to EDGAR or otherwise with the Commission and in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective an undertaking that, upon receipt of a request by an investor or his or her representative within the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall transmit or cause to be transmitted promptly, without charge, a paper copy of the Prospectus.

(j) Agreement Not To Offer or Sell Additional Securities. During the period of 180 days following the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open ``put equivalent position'' within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any shares of Common Stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of the Common Stock or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Common Shares); provided, however, that the Company may issue shares of its Common Stock or options to purchase its Common Stock, or Common Stock upon exercise of options, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus, but only if the holders of such shares,

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options, or shares issued upon exercise of such options, agree in writing not to sell, offer, dispose of or otherwise transfer any such shares or options during such 180 day period without the prior written consent of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC). In addition, during the period of 180 days following the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities
LLC), agree to an early release of stockholders from lock-up agreements previously executed between the Company and stockholders of the Company.

(k) Future Reports to the Representatives. During the period of five years hereafter the Company will furnish to the Representatives at 600 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111, attention: David Crowder: (i) as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company's independent public or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the Company with the Commission, the NASD or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its capital stock.

NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC, on behalf of the several Underwriters, may, in its sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.

SECTION 4. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Common Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Common Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company's counsel, independent public or certified pubic accountants and other advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees, attorneys' fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Common Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing and printing a ``Blue Sky Survey'' or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications,

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registrations and exemptions, (vii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, the NASD's review and approval of the Underwriters' participation in the offering and distribution of the Common Stock, (viii) the fees and expenses associated with including the Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market, and
(ix) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement. Except as provided in this Section 4, Section 6,
Section 8 and Section 9 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

SECTION 5. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Common Shares as provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Common Shares, the Second Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then made and, with respect to the Optional Common Shares, as of the Second Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:

(a) Accountants' Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received from KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company and CSI, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant's ``comfort letters'' to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and the Representatives shall have received an additional six (6) conformed copies of such accountants' letter for each of the several Underwriters). In addition, on the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company and Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for Aimtech, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant's ``comfort letters'' to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and the Representatives shall have received an additional six (6) conformed copies of such accountants' letter for each of the several Underwriters).

(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection from NASD. For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Common Shares, the Second Closing Date:

(i) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430A under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the Company shall

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have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430A, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective; or, if the Company elected to rely upon Rule 434 under the Securities Act and obtained the Representatives' consent thereto, the Company shall have filed a Term Sheet with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by such Rule 424(b);

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; and

(iii) the NASD shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

(c) No Material Adverse Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Common Shares, the Second Closing Date in the judgment of the Representatives there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change.

(e) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. On each of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated as of such Closing Date, in a form deemed acceptable to the Representatives (and the Representatives shall have received an additional six
(6) conformed copies of such counsel's legal opinion for each of the several Underwriters).

(f) Officers' Certificate. On each of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date the Representatives shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, to the effect set forth in subsections (b)(ii) and (c)(ii) of this Section 5, and further to the effect that:

(i) for the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to such Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;

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(ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date; and

(iii) the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such Closing Date.

(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On each of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date the Representatives shall have received from KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 5, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the case may be (and the Representatives shall have received an additional six (6) conformed copies of such accountants' letter for each of the several Underwriters).

(i) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Common Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.

If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Common Shares, at any time prior to the Second Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

SECTION 6. REIMBURSEMENT OF UNDERWRITERS' EXPENSES. If this Agreement is termi nated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 5, Section 7, Section 10 or Section 11, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Common Shares on the First Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of- pocket expenses

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that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Common Shares, including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.

SECTION 7. EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall not become effective until the later of (i) the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto and (ii) notification by the Commission to the Company and the Representatives of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act.

Prior to such effectiveness, this Agreement may be terminated by any party by notice to each of the other parties hereto, and any such termination shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representatives and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof, (b) of any Underwriter to the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434 under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law; or (v) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Common Stock or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii) above,

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provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (v) to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such Underwriter through its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto); and provided, further, that with respect to any preliminary prospectus, the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense purchased Common Shares, or any person controlling such Underwriter, if copies of the Prospectus were timely delivered to the Underwriter pursuant to Section 2 and a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Common Shares to such person, and if the Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information

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furnished to the Company by the Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth (A) as the last two paragraphs on the inside front cover page of the Prospectus concerning stabilization by the Underwriters and (B) in the table in the first paragraph and as the second paragraph and seventh and eighth paragraphs under the caption ``Underwriting'' in the Prospectus; and the Underwriters confirm that such statements are correct. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.

(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party's election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying party (NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC in the case of Section 8(b) and

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Section 9), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action) or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.

(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.

SECTION 9. CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in the representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus (or, if Rule 434

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under the Securities Act is used, the corresponding location on the Term Sheet) bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Common Shares as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact or any such inaccurate or alleged inaccurate representation or warranty relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 8(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 9; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 8(c) for purposes of indemnification.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 9.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Common Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their names in

SECTION 10. DEFAULT OF ONE OR MORE OF THE SEVERAL UNDERWRITERS. If, on the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Common Shares that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Common Shares which such

23.

As used in this Agreement, the term ``Underwriter'' shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section
10. Any action taken under this Section 10 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

SECTION 11. TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. Prior to the First Closing Date this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company's securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq Stock Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the NASD; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York, Delaware or California authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Common Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the judgment of the Representatives may interfere

24.

materially with the conduct of the business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 11 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representatives and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof, (b) any Underwriter to the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

SECTION 12. REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO SURVIVE DELIVERY. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Common Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

SECTION 13. NOTICES. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Representatives:

NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC
600 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California 94111

Facsimile: (415) 249-5558
Attention: Richard A. Smith

with a copy to:

NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC 600 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California 94111 Facsimile: (415) 249-5553
Attention: David A. Baylor, Esq.

If to the Company:

Asymetrix Learning Systems, Inc.
110-110th Avenue, N.E.
Bellvue, Washington 98004

Facsimile: (425) 637-1682
Attention: James Billmaier

25.

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.

SECTION 14. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant to Section 10 hereof, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 and Section 9, and in each case their respective successors, and personal representatives, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term ``successors'' shall not include any purchaser of the Common Shares as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.

SECTION 15. PARTIAL UNENFORCEABILITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

SECTION 16. GOVERNING LAW PROVISIONS. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE.

(a) Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (``Related Proceedings'') may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of San Francisco or the courts of the State of California in each case located in the City and County of San Francisco (collectively, the ``Specified Courts''), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a ``Related Judgment''), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party's address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(b) Waiver of Immunity. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the

26.

Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.

SECTION 17. GENERAL PROVISIONS. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Table of Contents and the Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 8 and the contribution provisions of Section 9, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

* * * * *

27.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.

Very truly yours,

ASYMETRIX LEARNING SYSTEMS, INC.

By:___________________________________
James Billmaier
Chief Executive Officer

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Representatives in San Francisco, California as of the date first above written.

NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES LLC
BANCAMERICA ROBERTSON STEPHENS
HAMBRECHT & QUIST LLC
Acting as Representatives of the
several Underwriters named in the
attached Schedule A.

By NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES LLC

By:__________________________________________

28.

             UNDERWRITERS                 NUMBER OF FIRM
                                          COMMON SHARES
                                         TO BE PURCHASED

NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC..       [___]
BancAmerica Robertson Stephens.........       [___]
Hambrecht & Quist LLC..................       [___]



     Total.............................       [___]

1.

EXHIBIT A

The final opinion in draft form should be attached as Exhibit A at the time this Agreement is executed.

Opinion of counsel for the Company to be delivered pursuant to Section 5(e) of the Underwriting Agreement.

(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

(ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement.

(iii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the State of Washington and in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions (other than the State of Washington) where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.

(iv) Each significant subsidiary (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such counsel, is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.

(v) All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such significant subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, any pending or threatened claim. 2.

(vi) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company (including the Common Stock) conform to the descriptions thereof set forth in the Prospectus. All of the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, have been issued in compliance with the registration and qualification requirements of federal and state securities laws. The form of certificate used to evidence the Common Stock is in due and proper form and complies with all applicable requirements of the charter and by- laws of the Company and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The description of the Company's stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted and exercised thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

(vii) No stockholder of the Company or any other person has any preemptive right, right of first refusal or other similar right to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company arising (i) by operation of the charter or by-laws of the Company or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or (ii) to the best knowledge of such counsel, otherwise.

(viii) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification thereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws