Offline-first classroom app that overlays an interactive whiteboard on eBooks/ePubs (video/audio, annotations). Shipped on CDs to schools worldwide (incl. Egypt) to work in low-connectivity environments.

What shipped

• A reusable brandable interactive whiteboard app
• York Islands Gold
  • York Islands Gold A: Pupil's Book
  • York Islands Gold B: Pupil's Book
  • York Islands Gold A+B: One Year Course Book

Impact

• Accessible anywhere: Offline/CD distribution enabled use in low-connectivity classrooms, removing internet as a launch blocker.
• Engagement boost: Rich media + on-page annotations made lessons interactive versus static PDFs/eBooks.
• Faster title rollout: Brandable, reusable app let publishers ship A/B/One-Year courses without rebuilding the product.
• Teacher-ready: Simple, consistent UI reduced setup friction; plug into projectors/IWB classrooms and teach immediately.
• Operational simplicity: Single installer + packaged assets minimized IT support and update complexity for schools.
• Maintainable codebase: Modular Electron/Node architecture separated content from app logic for easier updates.

My role & scope

• Led Electron app architecture and front-end implementation.
• Built the eBook/ePub rendering pipeline with rich media playback and an annotation overlay.
• Packaged for offline/CD deployment with bundled runtime and assets.
• Collaborated with content teams to standardize how titles/maps/media are ingested.

Key decisions & trade-offs

• Electron (desktop) over web: Guaranteed offline use and consistent performance on school PCs.
• Reusable “shell” app: Separated content from code to speed new title launches and reduce maintenance.
• Simple, durable UI: Prioritized teachability in front of a class over feature-heaviness.

See it in action