DERIVATIVES FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS Narrative (Details)

12 Months Ended

May 31, 2012

Cash Flow Hedges (Narrative) [Abstract]

Description of cash flow hedges

Upon repayment of the Floating Rate Notes in May 2010, we settled the interest rate swap agreements associated with the Floating Rate Notes and no other arrangements were outstanding as of May 31, 2012 and 2011.

Fair Value Hedges (Narrative) [Abstract]

Description of fair value hedges

In September 2009, we entered into interest rate swap agreements that have the economic effect of modifying the fixed interest obligations associated with our 3.75% 2014 Notes so that the interest payable on these notes effectively became variable based on LIBOR. The critical terms of the interest rate swap agreements and the 2014 Notes match, including the notional amounts and maturity dates.

We do not use any interest rate swap agreements for trading purposes.

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts Not Designated as Hedges (Narrative) [Abstract]

Description of foreign currency forward contracts not designated as hedges

We transact business in various foreign currencies and have established a program that primarily utilizes foreign currency forward contracts to offset the risks associated with the effects of certain foreign currency exposures. Under this program, our strategy is to enter into foreign currency forward contracts so that increases or decreases in our foreign currency exposures are offset by gains or losses on the foreign currency forward contracts in order to mitigate the risks and volatility associated with our foreign currency transactions. We may suspend this program from time to time. Our foreign currency exposures typically arise from intercompany sublicense fees, intercompany loans and other intercompany transactions that are expected to be cash settled in the near term.

We neither use these foreign currency forward contracts for trading purposes nor do we designate these forward contracts as hedging instruments pursuant to ASC 815.

The fair values of our outstanding foreign currency forward contracts were nominal at May 31, 2012 and 2011.

Net Investment Hedges (Narrative) [Abstract]

Description of net investment hedges

We entered into these net investment hedges for the majority of fiscal 2010. We suspended this program during our fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 and, as of May 31, 2012 and 2011, we have no contracts of this nature outstanding.