PowerPoint in the class room

Ok, so there is regular PowerPoint that I'm sure everyone has used at some stage and there is Interactive PowerPoint.
Both can use text, images, and video clips to convey information and concepts. The difference is that the interactive powerpoint works similar to a website - when you click on a 'hyperlink', the slide will redirect to another slide in the same way the internet will redirect to another web page.
An interactive powerpoint can be very useful in a classroom. For example, a teacher could set up an assessment task through powerpoint and save it to the school's hard-drive for students to access. The students can then work through the slides at their own pace to complete the assessment task but also have the option of clicking on the hyperlink to access additional information or ideas for the assessment.
Students can use powerpoint to present their assessment to the class as an oral presentation, or they can email it to the teacher as a research assessment - the method of presentation will depend on the task requirements.
Allowing students to add images and video clips to their powerpoint presentation can demonstrate their ability to use ICTs, as well as allowing them to present information in the form of a video clip or image that they would not be able to include in their submission of the task if it was required to be presented in a word document.
There are many step-by-step instructions available for using powerpoint. Allowing students time to work through these will increase their familiarity with powerpoint and decrease any 'fears' in using an unknown tool to complete an assessment task.
In my opinion, allowing students to become familiar with powerpoint, and providing options for assessment submission (word or powerpoint, oral or voice-over) will allow students more creativity and flexibility in their work and increase their knowlegde and abilities with ICTs.