What is an Interactive Whiteboard An interactive whiteboard (IWB), also called a digital whiteboard, such as new Dell interactive whiteboard, is a large touch-sensitive screen that is used to display information from a computer through the use of a projector.gift pens , It can also be used to interact with files in the computer, such as opening or editing files. The projector and the whiteboard are both connected to the computer. They exist in three different technologies, namely: 1. The electromagnetic whiteboards. This kind of boards have hard surfaces and fine wire embedded beneath the surfaces which makes it possible for one to write with ordinary pens. However, in order to work more efficiently, a battery-driven pen is the best because the screen detects the magnetic field emitted by the pen, making the output better. 2. Laser scanner whiteboards. These ones also have a hard writing surface but it differs from the electromagnetic whiteboards in that they work with the use of infrared laser scanners. These scanners are mounted on the top corners of the screen. The scanners are used to detect the movement of the pen. While for the later you can use a normal pen, the laser scanner whiteboards need special pens. These pens have unique codes that the laser uses to locate their position and color.3. Resistive Membrane whiteboards. These have soft, very sensitive and flexible surfaces. Whereas you can use a normal pen for the others, you can not use a normal pen to write on this one. It is so sensitive that you can use your fingers to draw or write. For more effective work, you will need a special pen, called a stylus. With the stylus, you can change the color of your drawing. The movement of your finger or the stylus is detected by the pressure exerted on the surface of the screen. Its measurements in terms of length, width or diagonal distance of the display area are proportional to the ones on the computer monitor. Some of the functionalities of interactive whiteboards, especially Dell interactive whiteboard, include printing out information, saving a file to a computer, adjusting the screen appearance, drawing, writing and even optical recognition where a handwritten text can be converted to text that can be edited. When acquiring an interactive whiteboard, one should check it for its functionality because not all of them offer all or the same features.