Introduction

KA Lite is a lightweight web application software that allows users without Internet access to engage with Khan Academy videos and exercises in completely offline settings. It brings the flipped classroom model to some of the most remote areas in the world. Users can track their progress through videos and exercises, and coaches can log in to check students’ progress, identifying which areas the students need the most help in. If KA Lite ever reaches an Internet connection, it can sync this usage data with the KA Lite Hub – an online data repository that allows project administrators to view data and manage accounts remotely of offline deployments.

What are the goals of KA Lite?

Learning is fundamental to human flourishing, and at Foundation for Learning Equality, we strive to support learning opportunities on every front. That’s why we created KA Lite, with the goal of making high-quality educational resources and tools provided by Khan Academy accessible to the estimated 65% of the world that don’t have access to Internet.

How KA Lite works

KA Lite can be used in two different ways, depending on your needs:

  1. KA Lite can be installed on one local computer which acts as a server, with client devices connecting to this local server to watch the Khan Academy videos, and to work on practice problems. A coach/teacher can then check on each student’s progress. This method is typically used by schools and other educational institutions.
  2. KA Lite can be installed on the client device itself, and be used to download Khan Academy videos for offline viewing. In this way, KA Lite is almost like a piece of software that you’d install on your computer, except it runs in the Internet browser.

Who can use KA Lite?

Reaching offline or low-bandwidth communities with KA Lite is a team effort, and we find that a wide variety of people come together to make that happen. In a typical KA Lite deployment, there are 3 types of people involved with the project, which are organized into user types:

  1. Administrators
    Administrators plan out the deployment and logistics, procure the devices and installs KA Lite, and oversee their delivery and integration into the classroom or community. They can also update the software, add content, customize configuration settings, and manage user accounts.
  2. Coaches
    Coaches (also referred to as ‘facilitators’ or ‘teachers’) are users who add, manage, and track the progress of groups of students. They have access to student progress data in the form of coach reports, and can step in and provide individualized instruction when the student needs it.
  3. Learners
    Learners (also referred to as ‘students’) are users who use KA Lite primarily for learning. They earn points for watching videos and answering exercises correctly, and their progress is tracked by the system.