New web cams will allow the project to run e-learning classroom sessions with schools across the country and allow worldwide access through the internet for educational establishments, research institutions and companies.
Red Hat and SuSE Linux, the top two sellers of the Linux open-source operating system, are launching new discounts to attract students and educational institutions - a strategically important customer set for technology companies.
The report said: "There was evidence that the scale of presence in the marketplace of the dominant supplier raised questions in the minds of some schools and local education authorities about the long-term commercial intent of the other providers...
There are also wider benefits to society from the increased use of IT in lessons and the study highlighted the two-way traffic between home and school in which young people pass on IT skills such as PowerPoint to their parents.
Microsoft Research Cambridge, a Microsoft-funded organisation linked to Cambridge University and other academic institutions throughout Europe, is giving a €2.5m R&D cash injection to the scientific community in a bid to examine some of the areas...
Becta's executive director for educational technology Stephen Lucey said many schools were concerned by the time and expertise needed to plan, purchase and operate an efficient IT system - and added the framework deal should help solve these issues.