The global interactive whiteboards market is slated for explosive growth after almost 600,000 whiteboards cumulatively valued at over $1 billion already being installed worldwide this year, says a report by Futuresource Consulting.  In fact, the report predicts that 80% of classrooms in the UK will have interactive whiteboards by 2012. The EMEA region is supposed to show more than six times greater demand than the UK, while Asia is expected to show a 150% growth in interactive whiteboard sales, thanks to demand from China and India.

Use of whiteboards in the US is very high with more than three times the number of boards sold than UK, the country ranked second in the list. At the same time, US, UK and Mexico account for almost 70% of total interactive whiteboard installed base worldwide.

One in six classrooms worldwide is forecast to be using interactive whiteboard technology by 2012.  Interactive whiteboards hook up to computers and projectors to create large touch-sensitive displays which integrate AV, graphics and text into the lesson structure, improving learning by illustrating new concepts clearly and effectively, increasing pupil motivation and aiding in lesson flow.

The Futuresource report has analysed whiteboard use and demand in 66 countries.