Emerging tech from Microsoft could reduce costs in classrooms

Discovery News is reporting on new technology being developed by Microsoft Research India that would allow two users to easily share a single desktop.  The solution is completely software based and requires only the purchase of an additional USB keyboard and mouse.  Even the existing monitor can be split through the software, allowing each user to display a separately-functioning copy of their Windows OS.  While this is obviously designed for markets like Bangalore (limited space and nearly unlimited need for low-end computing), native support for this sort of functionality could be a real boon for shared classroom settings.  Especially in an elementary setting, where computing needs are relatively minimal (and kids are small), one could easily envision two students sitting side-by-side at a single computer.

Big screens are cheap nowadays and processors are so powerful that a full-blown desktop often makes little sense in many classrooms.  Similar third-party solutions allowing up to 7 users to share a desktop are already available in the States (see ncomputing's Xtenda device).  However, while this is obviously a much more robust solution, it involves acquisition of new hardware.  The Microsoft solution, if it flies, could make a lot of sense in the back of a classroom.

Anyone know of any open-source apps out there that will accomplish the same thing on Linux?  This will hardly revolutionize the computer lab as we know it, but could certainly ease hardware costs and better utilize the wasted power of most desktops in specific settings.