The Learning Co Inc is handing over $150m for Novato, California- based Mindscape Inc (CI No 3,362). The deal will be done with mostly cash and some common stock. The deal gives the Learning Co additional titles in its stable of educational and reference software products as well as an instant presence in the games market. The Learning Co says the two companies combined would have been number one in dollar market share for January in the US retail software market. It expects the acquisition to be accretive to the tune of $0.05 per share for fiscal 1998.