Microsoft (MSFT) has slashed the price of its 32GB Surface RT tablet from $499 to $199 in a limited time special promotion for K-12 schools and universities, as the company seeks to carve out some space for the slow-selling device in the Apple (AAPL) dominated education market.

According to a ZDNet report, the “Microsoft Surface for education limited time offer” will run June 17 through Aug. 31, as outlined in a program brochure the vendor posted online but subsequently pulled down. As reported by ZDNet, there was some confusion on the promotion’s start date, with a Microsoft spokesperson contending that it wasn’t scheduled to kick off until June 24 even though it actually launched on the specified date.

The short-lived program allows educational institutions to buy 32GB Surface RTs without keyboards for $199, a 60 percent discount from the tablet’s typical $499 retail price. Touch keyboard-equipped units are available for $249, some $350 less than the estimated retail price, and a Surface RT with a type keyboard can be had for $289, or a 54 percent discount from its estimated retail price of $629. Schools are not restricted to a minimum order requirement, but Microsoft has made it clear that the promotion is a “first come, first served” arrangement. Schools are instructed to send an order form to [email protected]

In addition to extending the offer to schools in the United States, Microsoft also has made the promotion available to schools in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

With the uber-aggressive pricing accompanying the education promotion, it’s not clear if Microsoft is looking for a way to dispense with inventory prior to a new rev of the Surface RT device or if the vendor is trying to open up a door to a market dominated by Apple’s iPad. At $199, the price of the 32GB Surface RT without a keyboard is $200 less than the iPad. Microsoft also said it will give away 10,000 Surface RT units to teachers attending the International Society for Technology Education convention in San Antonio next week.