HELP for a novice

[aheckman@nde.unl.edu (alice heckman)]

HELP, I'm a novice at this stuff.  I want to set up a bunch of older Apple 
][e computers so that elementary kids can use them for telecommunications. 
I need to know some stuff to do this.
1.  These computers don't have com ports so I need a serial board?  Or what?
2.  Do I want internal modems or external?  (cost is a factor here, school 
boards aren't notoriously generous)
3.  What kind of communication software do I want for kids to use?  Is 
anything available through shareware?
4.  Can the average low-tech person install this stuff herself?
5.  Where do you recommend getting the hardware that I need.  I had one guy
quote me $300 per modem.  This seemed about $220 higher than I could get 
the stuff at Walmart!

Thanks for any help you can give me.  (The kids are going to love this 
project!!  The teachers are a bit nervous!!)

Alice Heckman
aheckman@nde.unl.edu