Do you always need a flash player to view swf?

Hi , I want to save my flash files on CD to give to pupils to help with revision. is it possible to do this or woudl they all need to download the flash player ( I know it is free).
Could I make one file as a kind of index with links to all the swf files. Then make the index file run as a projector?

For example when using power point, if you make a hyperlink to a swf file it will play it, but the computer will not play it if you simply click on the swf file.

stockdill