One goal is to allow students direct interaction with their payloads via an amateur radio link. We want to make sure that introductory users can have some access to space. Pictures have always been a very valuable mechanism for education. There will have to be a lot of experimentation to develop efficient image techniques for the space environment. Video will present special challenges but with the possibility of great rewards.
Short contacts drive up the training and preparation times for contacts.
Longer contacts will allow us to streamline the time between schools submitting their applications and when their contacts are scheduled. Personal contacts for the ISS crews will be very important and the ability to continue educational and general outreach activities during personal contacts is mandatory. The multiuse concept is not just for this however. The ability to communicate between ISS, Mir, and Shuttle will be very important.