Nintendo DS Classroom

The Nintendo DS(i) Classroom, also known as v1.4J_kst is a specialized DSi version used in Japanese schools. This version contains many differences from a retail unit, including some applications exclusive to this version of the DSi.

"DS in the Classroom"

On June 9th 2009, Nintendo announced they will parthership with Sharp System Products to create a Nintendo DSi for use on Japanese schools for Japanese children in elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools. Simply codenamed Nintendo DS Classroom, the unit would promise that teachers can use the DS Classroom on their PC so it will communicate with Nintendo DS's with a DS Classroom cartridge or with Nintendo DSi's with the DS Classroom app installed as DSiWare.

A diagram of how the system would work.

Furthermore, Nintendo goes on to say that Sharp System Products would work on 60 applications offering a variety of subjects, such as languages, math, history, and more. 30 applications would be for elementary schools, 20 for junior high schools and 10 for high schools. The system would then launch on February 2010 in Japan, but would be first showed off at the New Education Expo 2009, held in Osaka on June 17th and June 18th.

Nintendo DS Classroom application

The DS Classroom application opens up as a Nintendo Zone-looking UI and it will start searching for computers connected over the same Wi-Fi connection. Up to 50 people can join in. The application would work as interactive tests made by the teacher and the teacher would be able to view scores and rankings, similar in a way of Kahoot and Nearpod.

A "yes" or "no" quiz using a circle and a cross.

On the top is the question, on the bottom is the PC software recieving the answeres.

A teacher would install the Nintendo DS Classroom PC software and create a quiz. These quizes can have a veriaty of questions about anything, with the teacher being able to add examples and images as well.

(Re)discovery

On May 27 2019, Voodooween had a conversation with Trash_Bandatcoot about DSi system versions. On that list was a version known as v1.4J_kst, he also revealed it had some DSi software used by students. A day later, he sent photos with a NAND dump, by using the Flipnote Lenny exploit. A lot of research was done the same day by the TWL Hacking Discord server revealing that some of this software was also sold seperately as a NTR cartridge, meaning these applications are also on the Nintendo DS and DS Lite. However, the PC software for the Nintendo DS Classroom application remains lost.

General differences

Besides the system menu version, there are differences on the system menu as well.

• The unit has a sticker on the back giving instructions to the Nintendo DS Classroom application.
• The Nintendo DSi Shop is not present, preventing students from buying DSiWare.
• The internal NAND comes bundled with the software selected by the school, as well as the Nintendo DSi Browser, Flipnote Studio v2.1 and the Nintendo DS Classroom application.
• The “Data Management” option is gone from the System Settings, preventing students from copying application data to their SD Cards.

Image of the unit, with instructions on the back. Only "DSi LL" units were made.

The system menu version is v1.4J_kst, instead of v1.4J.

List of applications

With Sharp System Products offering 60 applications, there's only 3/60 of applications found at the moment.

Icon	Title	Genre	Type of school	Title ID	Description	Notes
	ジーニアスパーソナル わえい　らくびきじてん Jīniasupāsonaru Kazuhide raku-biki jiten	Language	Junior High	000300044b44354a	A Japanese dictionary showing explainations in English.	Application was available on the Nintendo DS in the form of "Rakubiki Jiten DS".
	ジーニアスパーソナル えいわ　らくびきじてん Jīniasupāsonaru eiwa raku-biki jiten	Language	Junior High	000300044b44334a	A Japanese and English dictionary, being able to show sentences as well. This applications is in some conditions similar to Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function.	Application was available on the Nintendo DS in the form of "Rakubiki Jiten DS", also came bundled on every regular DSi LL.
	めいきょうこくご らくびきじてん Mei kyō koku go raku-biki jiten	Language	Junior High	000300044b44344a	An application for showing abbreviations and the meanings of them. Most of these consist of English abbreviations.	Application was available on the Nintendo DS in the form of "Rakubiki Jiten DS".

References

"Iwata Asks", talking about the Nintendo DS Classroom application

Images from the DS Classroom at the New Education Expo 2009

More Nintendo DS Classroom images