9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a registration server configured to receive an authentication request from each of each of the plurality of student wireless communication devices via the wireless access point and, in response to each authentication request, to verify an identity of the wireless communication device requesting authentication, and, upon verification of the identity such that the wireless communication device is authenticated, downloading a software program that will configure the controller in each of the student wireless communication devices to automatically establish the short-range communication link between the respective short-range non-network transceivers and the instructor wireless communication device as each of the plurality of student wireless communication devices comes within range of the wireless access point or the short-range non-network transceiver in the instructor wireless communication device.
1. A system comprising: a plurality of student wireless communication devices, each having: a display; a user-operable input device; a network transceiver configured to communicate with a wireless communication network using frequencies licensed for wide-area networks; a short-range non-network transceiver; a controller configured to control operation of the non-network transceiver of the first wireless communication device; and an instructor wireless communication device having at least the short-range non-network transceiver and the controller configured to control operation of the non-network transceiver of the instructor wireless communication device; a wireless access point (AP) configured to transmit the beacon signal wherein the short-range non-network transceiver in each of the plurality of student wireless communication devices is configured to communicate with the instructor wireless communication device via the AP whereby the short-range communication link between the respective short-range non-network transceivers and the instructor wireless communication device is established via the AP; wherein the controller in each of the student wireless communication devices is configured to automatically detect the transmitted beacon signal and to establish a short-range communication link between the respective short-range non-network transceivers and the instructor wireless communication device via the AP and to exchange data, including student response data, with the instructor wireless communication device, and upon establishing the short-range communication link, automatically performing an authentication process for each student wireless communication device, and temporarily disabling the respective network transceivers upon authentication during a period of time in which the short-range communication link is established; and wherein the controller in the instructor wireless communication device is configured to receive data from any responding ones of the plurality of student wireless communication devices via the AP.