Microsoft announced today that Windows MultiPoint Server 2010 is now available. This is a new Windows product designed to increase access to affordable technology in education – done by allowing multiple users to share one computer using multiple screens. Each person individually controls his or her own station with an independent experience.

Shared resource computing can multiply the number of student workstations available to schools, delivering more value while staying within the same budget,” says Microsoft. “Teachers can better align computing resources with instructional strategies while deploying fewer fully configured computers and reducing workstation support liabilities.”

You can see initial reactions to the product (while admittedly being filmed and published by Microsoft). I’d embed the video here for your convenience, but that would require you to use the free Silverlight plugin (which, at this very moment, is consistently crashing on me).

The top ten features of this offering?

1. User stations use the host computers processing capabilities, but provide a stand-alone computer experience.
2. Students can set their own favorites in Windows Internet Explorer, customize their desktops, customize the Start menu, save and access their individual settings, and work on any station.
3. Set up generic or class-specific accounts instead of setting up individual student accounts.
4. Easily share files, videos, and more with and between groups of students.
5. Students can save files in their own private folders where only the student and teacher can access them.
6. Plug in a headset or microphone at each station and enable students to enjoy a multimedia experience without disrupting other peoples work (or watch YouTube videos if they haven’t already been blocked).
7. Install an application once and see it appear automatically on all user stations.
8. With the Disconnect feature, students can save their working sessions without logging off, but free up the user station for others.
9. See how many stations are being used, which student is using which system, and whether hardware is connected properly.
10. Here’s the Product Data Sheet [PDF]

So, are you still a student in school – or an administrator working inside a tech-savvy school district? What do YOU think?