Moving Towards Access for All

Even with recent reductions in computer prices, purchasing a computer is still out of reach for many literacy students. Used computers are an alternative to buying new, but they’re not for everyone. Technical skills are required to setup and maintain older, less user-friendly equipment. Today, access to technology does not end with owning a computer, but also includes access to the Internet. The minimum hardware requirements for Internet access vary depending on the service you use, but you must have at least a 486 with Windows 3.1, 8 MB of RAM, and a 14.4 modem. If students want to make full use of the Internet, certainly better equipment is required.

Now assuming students can manage to obtain appropriate equipment, the next hurdle they face is paying for Internet service. Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) charge at least $15 a month, an added monthly expense that is not feasible for many of our students. To overcome this, students could turn to a local freenet or an ISP that offers free Internet service. Freenets are a nice option because they are normally nonprofit, but they are not available in all areas of the country. (See http://www.lights.com/freenet/ #ca for a list of Canadian freenets.) Several ISPs offering free Internet service have appeared. When dealing with these companies, people should remember the old adage that nothing is for free. These programs normally require users to wade through questionnaires and/or advertisements. One such bilingual Canadian ISP is 3web.com. Now you would think that this solves the problem of Internet access, but many of the free ISPs only offer their software on CDs. Students who have a computer without a CD drive are out of luck.

For these students and many others, access to computers in literacy programs or public facilities such as libraries is the only opportunity they have to obtain technical skills and access information, services and educational opportunities that are becoming increasingly available through the Internet. In many cases though, literacy programs are facing the same financial constraints as their students. As was reported by the Canadian Council on Social Development in Riding the Technology Wave: Experiences of adult literacy students and teachers in Ontario, only approximately 2/3 of the computers in literacy programs are connected to the Internet. Internet access for a literacy program can run from $40 a month for one regular phone line, up to $1000 a month for high speed ADSL or T1 access for 25+ computers. Cable Internet access costs are more reasonable at approximately $150 a month for up to 5 computers, but programs should investigate the reliability of this type of service and others before making this type of investment. For some programs in rural or remote areas of the country, high speed access from the phone company or cable company may not even be an option. Slower dial-up access through the regular phone lines or emerging wireless options may be the only types of Internet access available.

Strides are being made to make Internet access more affordable for nonprofit organizations. Initiatives such as the Federal Government’s Community Access Program (CAP) are helping likeminded community organizations come together and use this increased leverage to obtain free or discounted Internet services. Some businesses are also recognizing the importance of supporting access for all. For example, The AOL Time Warner Foundation recently unveiled an initiative that would “merge Time Warner’s commitment to literacy with AOL’s commitment to access to technology". For more information about their grant process visit: www.aoltwfoundation.org.

Diane McCargar
Editor, CONNECT