In article <C590A830-F7E1-4972-AC14-5FC6D0B42ED2@microsoft.com>,
snarfix@discussions.microsoft.com says...
> Don't think of this unit as a fully functional Personal Computer.
>

Unfortunately, if you create something that is less than a 'fully
functional Personal Computer' but still does what you want it will end up
costing almost as much as a 'fully functional Personal Computer' if not
more. This is because it will be a niche market product with special
manufacturing requirements but a limited market as compared to the wide
open market of a regular PC.

Your best bet is to buy a regular PC or Tablet PC and then limit what the
students can do with it using the tools already available. If you don't
want them to be able to surf the internet during class then you don't
make the internet available on the network they will be connecting to in
the classroom. When they take their Tablet PC home or back to the dorm
then they will have the internet available there.

If you don't want them to be able to do certain things on, or to the
configuration of, their Tablet then you would use Profiles and Group
Policy Objects. Any competent Microsoft network administrator should at
least know what these are and be able to learn how to use them given
enough time.

If you really want to limit what can be done while reducing cost then
perhaps you should look into Windows CE devices. The problem is that the
software available for them is really limited.

There is no need to design and manufacture a completely new product.