Fulfilling their function, interactive whiteboards provide large displays, which can be interactively operated by hand or a special tool such as an input pen.

By default, whiteboards are suitable for free drawing and writing as well as for the integration of images. Where appropriate, animations or applets can be integrated into the panel. For storage, the panels usually have the choice between the software's format or the export to popular formats such as PDF or HTML. Also, all other computer applications can be operated from the board, but to do so is just recommended for software that does not mandatory require submissions in typescript. Indeed, in such cases manufacturers usually offer a virtual keyboard, but this is not suitable not for long passages of text or columns of numbers. Some manufacturers also offer an automatic and / or subsequent handwriting recognition. But in practice this does not work with all programs as good as it should.

But in the case the handwriting on the board is in the foreground, interactive whiteboards offer numerous labor and design options.

Who has not had this experience: Brainstorming, which is getting more confusing with an increasing exchange of ideas? The more thoughts, ideas and comments are incorporated, the more confusing is the maze of arrows and sub-points, which is formed on the board. On the interactive whiteboard, you get a better handle of such a chaos, as all the notes are treated as individual objects and presented to the board surface. Apart from that, they are mobile. Rearrangements may thus be made in a simple way without the important information getting lost.

When situations are difficult to understand, a supportive visual processing is offered. However, the technical effort which must be spent on this in advance, is great. However, the use of slide-, overhead- or film projectors will be obsolete in the case of a digital media application. Via computer and media projectors, different types of images, animations, applets, or other multimedia elements can be used and so enrich an event. Interactive whiteboards also offer the important advantage that the materials which are used for demonstrations and practice purposes are directly connected with the panel. The integration of the materials in the painting, however, varies depending on the used board software.

It is possible to permanently integrate images, whereas other materials such as films or applets may need to be presented in the appropriate applications for this purpose. A permanent assignment of these materials is partly possible for each panel painting, so that for example the film, although not directly being shown in the panel painting, remains permanently associated. Moreover, usually there is a fast access to favorite files, so that an easy access can be provided for a given lecture demonstration material and apart from that a dynamically created panel painting can be allocated. Interactive whiteboards are also suitable for the implementation of a course that is precisely prepared and equipped with media elements, as it is always possible to intervene in a presentation and to adjust or change it by handwritten comments, emphasis or the insertion of alternative elements. The prepared presentation thus still remains open for spontaneous changes, ideas and contributions of the participants and of course they can also be permantenly captured.

Again and again the problem arises that the time scheduled for an event is not enough. In the follow-up event, it would be an advantage to be able to go back to already developed content. On the whiteboard created and stored panel paintings are resusable at any time and can be further developed. So, linking to already dealt subjects is much easier. Also, to participants´ matter with understanding can be responded easier if the relevant passages can be visually presented again.

In the meantime, there are a variety of different models of whiteboards. By using a computer connected to a projector, the screen content is projected on the board of one of the more popular interactive whiteboard models. The communication between the computer and the whiteboard is here being made by the board software of the manufacturer. Alternatively, the whiteboard can be directly operated on the pressure-sensitive surface by either a finger or a tool such as a pen or eraser. Predefined forms can be raised or import graphics into popular formats. The built-in recorder can record the presentation, including sound.

The advantages of this special whiteboard are numerous. The construction is very fast and the configuration is simple, making the whiteboardoard very user friendly. The board also has an extensive gallery of easel paintings, of which some are interactive. The operation of the computer directly takes place on the whiteboard, so that it can be used as an electronic whiteboard without using the projector. Optical sensors register the tool removed from the board´s pen storage, and its function. In addition, the whiteboard is also suitable for video conferencing.