1. A computer-readable memory device containing stored computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform a method for initiating a teaching animation for demonstrating a manual gesture, the method comprising: determining a current condition of a writing-pad tool running on the computing device, wherein determining includes recognizing whether content is provided within a content-entry area generated by the writing-pad tool; using the current condition of the writing pad tool to determine which actions are available for invocation and which actions are unavailable, wherein using the current condition comprises: (a) when content is provided within the content-entry area of the writing-pad tool, designating one or more editing actions as being active, while one or more managing actions are designated as being inactive; and (b) when content is absent from the content-entry area of the writing-pad tool, designating the one or more managing actions as being active, while the one or more editing actions are designated as being inactive, wherein the one or more editing actions differ in functionality from the one or more managing actions; enabling a first group of teaching animations to that are associated with the actions that are designated as being active; disabling a second group of the teaching animations that are associated with the actions designated as being inactive; receiving a user-initiated input in association with a writing-pad tool surfaced on a touchscreen interface of a computing device; based on the user-initiated input, launching one or more of the teaching animations that are enabled; and rendering at the touchscreen interface an indication of launching the one or more teaching animations.