Pre-literate Applications

We want kids to be engaged with their laptops. Even if they cannot yet read. We need some applications which will be compelling to such schoolkids. Having a convenient and low-cost social application vaguely akin to MySpace would seem a natural.

Whatever a kid produces can be appreciated and admired by classmates and parents. Comparisons with other kid's products can motivate learning to arrange, annotate, manipulate, and present in even more compelling form. Even without obvious educational content, this will develop interest in reading and practice in skills which will assist in cooperative class projects etc.

If the ap permits construction of a slide show with vocal annotation, it could also be used to create educational material for school and beyond. The first application might be to offer instruction in using the application itself.

Wait, do we need earphones so audio can be used even with others present?

Would some of the classrooms have a DLP projector and speakers for a whole classroom of watchers?