is_module is deprecated, use module_exists instead.
As for showing a layout, is this a normal "I have built a page and want to wrap the header and footer" sort of thing? If so, in your controller use the Layout library instead of worrying about anything in the view.
The title() method is optional, it will guess based on controller and method names if nothing is provided.
You're gonna hate me but v0.9.8 will change how modules work quite a lot, BUT v0.9.8 will have module builders documentation so at least that's something...