An 8-year-old will have no trouble with computers, but before buying one, figure out what she likes / is naturally good at. Maybe browsing sites like this will give you an idea for a gift (a microscope? a human body anatomy doll? a talking globe? a physics workshop science kit?).

Also, it seems like the best gift you can give her is taking her out of a school like that. You may have to brainstorm some creative alternatives, have some serious talk with your parents and likely spend more money than you intended.