from Technology & Learning
Get up to speed on the latest product releases in the education market.
Hardware
Hamilton Electronics' wireless classroom sound-reinforcement speaker and microphone system is designed to improve student listening and comprehension. The portable system includes a wireless lapel microphone for the instructor and can be used for small-group learning.
Unotron's wireless washable keyboard can be immersed in antibacterial solution to control germs and run under running water for cleaning. It features 15 programmable hot keys and easy plug-and-play installation for Windows.
Software
The Croquet Consortium's no-cost 3-D Virtual Environments Software Developer's Kit helps create real-time online environments with built-in networked telephony. Students and educators can collaborate across a variety of platforms, from laptops to cell phones.
Adobe's new Creative Suite 3 school site licenses offer K–12 schools a cost-effective way to access the popular software. Project-based curricula designed to develop key digital communication skills and a new Adobe-certification program are also available.
Online
Angel Learning's Angel Learning Isle is a Second Life online environment where educators can create virtual classrooms. A "SLED Sandbox" offers new users instruction on how to build their own tools and spaces in Second Life.
Designed for middle school students and educators, Discovery Education's Science Connection offers students interactive content like two-way video, solvable mysteries, and virtual laboratories.
Roamer Too, Valiant's update of the Roamer robot line, now features speech capabilities. The 'bots complement diverse curriculum—from math and science to language arts—and can be programmed by students via keypad modules.
The DC133 portable document camera from Lumens offers XGA resolution, a fully rotating gooseneck arm, computer and TV connections, and built-in storage for full-screen JPEG slideshows. Its cold-cathode lamp allows for image capture from all angles.
