LaunchPad Adds Instructional Design View -- THE Journal

Collaboration

LaunchPad Adds Instructional Design View

By David Nagel
10/17/11

The interactive chalkboard is accessible through the new Instructional Design View in ClassLink LaunchPad

ClassLink has released LaunchPad Instructional Desktop View, an upgrade to the company's cloud-based virtual desktop software designed for K-12 schools.

LaunchPad is a desktop virtualization tool that allows teachers and students to log in from school-based or remote systems to access all of the schools' available applications in a custom desktop environment. It also includes collaboration tools (chat, desktop sharing), calendars (with support for Apple iCal), a user manager, and file sharing capabilities. The new Instructional Desktop View is a new feature integrated into LaunchPad that lets users toggle between the traditional desktop view and a user interface that acts as a sort of hub for all course-related services and materials, including:

Class Pages, where instructors can create classes and add students (or allow them to self-enroll);
Discussions, which are instructor-moderated threaded messages organized by class, with support for embedded links and documents;
Chalkboard, a real-time collaborative whiteboard and media sharing system with teacher moderation;
Shared files, a repository of resources shared by a class;
Drop Box, a place where instructors can collect assignments;
Calendar;
GroupType, a collaborative environment with Typewith.me integration; and
Settings.

LaunchPad Instructional Desktop View is available now as a free and automatic upgrade to users of cloud-based LaunchPad.

ClassLink also indicated that it will soon be adding cloud-based classroom management features to LaunchPad, including the ability to observe, lock, and take shots of students' screens; push the the instructor's screen out to students; view running applications and Web sites; run applications; chat; integrate with Active Directory; and manage users from a browser.

LaunchPad is available on a subscription basis as a fully hosted service or in an on-premises configuration for self-hosting. Further information can be found on ClassLink's site.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .

E-Mail this page

Printable Format

Featured

Nonprofit LawZero to Work Toward Safer, Truthful AI

Turing Award-winning AI researcher Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a nonprofit aimed at developing AI systems that prioritize safety and truthfulness over autonomy.
Report Identifies Malicious Use of AI in Cloud-Based Cyber Threats

A recent report from OpenAI identifies the misuse of artificial intelligence in cybercrime, social engineering, and influence operations, particularly those targeting or operating through cloud infrastructure. In "Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: June 2025," the company outlines how threat actors are weaponizing large language models for malicious ends — and how OpenAI is pushing back.
You've Paid for Tutoring. Here's How to Make Sure It Works.

As districts and states nationwide invest in tutoring, it remains one of the best tools in our educational toolkit, yielding positive impacts on student learning at scale. But to maximize return on investment, both financially and academically, we must focus on improving implementation.
New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.