I have been assisting groups of teachers in examining some software and sites which allow students to create cartoons.  It was their hope that this might be an alternative way to encourage students in expressing learned curriculum concepts.  The follow is a list of the software, sites and resources we looked to evaluate.  I’ll look to update this list with some comments from the session at a date in the near future.

• Comic Life (free 30 day trial – $24.95)

• Bitstrips - registration required.  Similar to Toondoo in features but I like the feel of Toondoo more.
  • Free or
  • For Schools ($9.95 month)
• Make Beliefs Comix (free) – education based and requires no registration.  Supports multiple languages including French.  Stock characters and props used.  Black/White but can add color to background.  Can print but no save function.  Screen shot could get around that.
• ToonDo0 (free) – registration required,  nice set of features that are often reserved for paid version.  Lots of ability to customize.

• Strip Creator (free) – no registration required, stock characters with no ability to customize, dialogue interfaces a little cumbersome and some of the props and poses might be considered inappropriate for younger students.
• Read, Write, Think (free) – no registration required, great starter for younger grades.  Limited choices using black/white.  Simple and straight forward.  No save function but can print or take a screen shot.
• Pixton (free and $) registration required, must complete profile page and avatar before proceeding.  Not as customizable as Toondoo but not bad.  Custom characters and presets available.
• Myths & Legends (free) – animated cartoon.  Currently not accepting new registrations but this appears temporary.
• Pikikids (free) – requires registration.  Comics are created by uploading photo as background and then adding props and speech bubbles to it.  No stock or customizable characters.

• CartoonStdio (free & $) – uses photos instead of drawings. 
• ComicMaker ($0.99) – crashed several times when I tested it.
• ToonToolkit (iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch) ($2.99) – Cartoon below made using this app.

• Alice (free) – 3D animation
• CreaToon (free) – animation
• Pencil (free) – animation
• How to draw cartoons - free – tutorials
• GoAnimate (free) – animation
• Marvin (free w/limited character pack) – animation

• ESL Cafe’s Idea Cookbook
• Digital Story Telling Teacher Resource from Microsoft - focus on PhotoStory but still applicable.
• Using Cartoon Strips
• Cartoon Drawing in the Classroom
• Teaching with Comics
• Comic Strip Templates - printables in pdf.
• Jason Ohler - digital storytelling guru.​