I've been following the interaction/debate with much interest. But as you all (not true) are discussing what is good interaction, what interaction is, how it should look, etc., there is a tendency to take the starting point in beliefs, theories, and/or the like.
As the focus of interest (at least for me) is the student in front of the screen, I think we have to start of from a different perspective--that of the individual /child/pupil. If we really are interested in finding out what is good, effective, etc., computer-tools, why not begin with asking the pupil. In my opinion the idea of deduction is an old, and in this case not the best, path to take. For me, induction (or why not abduction in Peirce's sense) tends to be more fruitful.
Starting with talking to and observing the individual, using their ideas, experiences and thoughts, and we have a ground for generating--not testing--theories. Using an ethnographic approach, combined with sensitizing concepts and theories, will bring our understanding of the phenomenon a bit further.
There is much literature discussing how to construct good learning tools, and the like, but seldom we can hear the voices of those these tools were made for. And, as for the content of the media, again we must talk to the ones the content was made for.
In my own thinking, I find much help in semiotic approaches--especially Charles S. Peirce. If we are to understand what it is that the individual is saying and thinking, what the content is, how the computer is to be what it is, etc., then a semiotic view may help us detect the meaning of all these.
In short, what I'm missing in this debate, is the perspective of the ones you are talking about. There has to be a pupil to see the content!
Andersen, P.B., Holmqvist, B., & Jensen, J.F. (Eds.). (1993). The computer as medium. Cambridge: Cambridge university press.
Jensen, K.B. (1995). The social semiotics of mass communication. London: Sage.
Qvarsell, B. (1995). Young people and new media: Reflections and questions. In C. Wulf, (Ed.), Education in Europe: An intercultural task. vol. 3 (pp. 263-269).
Qvarsell, B. (1989) Children's views on computers: The importance of affordance. Education & Computing, No 4, pp. 223-230.
And of course Turkle, both (1984) The second self and (1995) Life on the screen.