This is the sort of thing that has publishers, and the likes of HP and Microsoft, licking their chops. Control of curriculum, technology, content, distribution, etc. Wikimedia can see to it that content is free, open source software and hardware vendors can see to it that interoperability and transparency are the order of the day. If this can be accomplished - and it will - we won't see learners chained to ever-more-expensive and cumbersome systems like this one in the future.
Note that this is happening in Florida, one of the "big three" curriculum states. California and Texas are also slated for rollouts like this from MSFT and other vendors. Other states will follow. Now is the time to show public educators that there's a better, cheaper, more flexible way to do things.
Sanford
****** Read on... (from www.dailywireless.org)
Students at Ocoee Middle School in Florida will be among the nation's first to experience round-the-clock fingertip access via a joint project involving Microsoft Corp.; Holt, Rinehart and Winston; and HP. http://www.stockworld.de/msg/570392.html
The first-of-its-kind educational project, will gauge how well students learn using a Tablet PC and a Web-based curriculum with computers and full-time Internet access for everyone. Microsoft Class Server http://www.microsoft.com/education/?ID=MobileSchools enables students and teachers to log into their Tablet PC, notebook PC, or Pocket PC for anytime access to assignments and work management.
Using the wireless Tablet PCs, students will have practically-anywhere access to their Holt Online Learning curriculum and a host of Microsoft tools, including Producer for PowerPoint(R), Movie Maker 2, Windows Media(R) Series 9 and Encarta(R) Reference Library 2004. Students will be able to take handwritten notes, make and share journal entries, and electronically complete exercises, homework assignments and tests on a single device.
Ocoee is one of the first four showcase sites for the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) in the nation. A student ID card is used for a keyless entry system as well as library checkout and cafeteria purchases. Students logon to the wide area network and immediately access their desktop from anywhere in the school. Technology is integrated throughout the school into the teaching and learning process.