The next time you need tech support, you might consider one of the toddlers over at Weston’s Country School.

Several weeks ago, the 3- and 4-year-olds at the school came upon a couple of iPods among the items available to them during "free choice time."

The devices had been preloaded with age-appropriate applications that, it was hoped, would help in learning letters, numbers, sounds, shapes and words. But the iPods were turned off, and the children were given no instructions whatsoever.

"We just put them out to see what the kids could do," said Amanda Cincotta, who teaches one of the two preschool classes at Country School. "Our student body is what they call integrated, that is, we have children both with and without special needs. Every single one of them was able to figure out how to unlock the iPod, to get into the applications, to use them, to navigate around, and to get back to the home page."

The unusual initiative started with a simple enough event. Principal Stephen Shaw was standing in the checkout line at the supermarket when he noticed a child in a stroller next to him.

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