Helping MIT neighbors cross the 'digital divide'

[BOOK] Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Internet Worldwide -
P Norris - 2001 - books.google.com
... poor. Digital Divide sets out to examine the evidence for access and use
of the Internet in 179 nations across the world. A global ...

[BOOK] Technology And Social Inclusion: Rethinking the Digital Divide -
M Warschauer - 2004 - books.google.com
... MIT Press has shown great leadership in areas related to ... my research, the notion
of a digital divide and its ... Towns of 5,000 people and more across Ireland were ...

[PDF] Second-Level Digital Divide: Differences in People?s Online Skills -
E Hargittai - First Monday, 2002 - chnm.gmu.edu
... Second-Level Digital Divide :: 2 Introduction: Inequalities in Internet Use Much
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E Hargittai - New Economy Handbook, 2003 - eszter.com
... The Adoption and Diffusion of ICT Across Countries: Patterns and Determinants? ... The
Digital Divide: Facing a Crisis or Creating a Myth ... Cambridge, MA: MIT Press ...

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1 Bridging the Digital Divide: ... 253-4191, Fax: 617-253-0755 Email: rpinkett@media.
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Less cyber, more cafe: Enhancing existing small businesses across the digital divide with ICTs -
T Salvador, JW Sherry, AE Urrutia - Information Technology for Development, 2005 - doi.wiley.com
Page 1. Less Cyber, More Cafe: Enhancing Existing Small Businesses Across
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The Evolution of the Digital Divide: How Gaps in Internet Access May Impact Electronic Commerce -
DL Hoffman, TP Novak, A Schlosser - Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 2000 - Blackwell Synergy
... African American Web users are more likely to be under 25, across all three surveys ...
Tables 3a and 3b may provide evidence of an education-driven digital divide. ...

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B Warf - Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 2001 - envplan.com
... Consolidation of carriers has extended across traditional market boundaries to blur ...
Unfortunately, most efforts to address the `digital divide' have taken a ...

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SP Martin - IT & Society, 2003 - stanford.edu
... examined levels and trends in inequality of computer use across various groups ... among
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M Warschauer - The Information Society, 2003 - ingentaconnect.com
... match the MOE?s lofty goals for using technology to leap across gaps? ... Technology
and social inclusion: Rethinking the digital divide. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press ...

Helping MIT neighbors cross the 'digital divide'

Robyn Fizz, Information Services and Technology
Karla Mansur, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
June 4, 2008

Even though close to half of all Americans have broadband access in their home, the digital divide--the gap between those who have access to information technologies and those who do not--continues to grow both at home and abroad.

A group of MIT volunteers hopes to close that gap through CommuniTech, a program that started in 2000 by focusing on refurbishing older donated computers and giving them to economically disadvantaged people in the area. Since its inception, however, it has broadened its goals to teach the recipients of its computers how to use the technology comfortably.

Today, CommuniTech has two branches: The MIT Used Computer Factory (UCF), coordinated by electrical engineering and computer science senior Henry Wu, which refurbishes donated computers; and Families Accessing Computer Technology (FACT), coordinated by management sophomore Randall Shults, which handles the software-training side.

Each year since 2000, More than 20 MIT community members have donated their time to the program.

The UCF is also always looking for computer donations--PCs only, with Pentium IV processors or better. Flat-screen LCD monitors in full-working order are also welcome. Those interested in donating a computer can do so by filling out a form available at http://imara.csail.mit.edu/.

MIT departments can also donate used computers. Contact MIT Property Manager Michael McCarthy--so that he can deactivate the computers and keep a record of the donation--at mmccarth@mit.edu or 617-253-2779.

UCF has placed more than 200 computers in local homes since 2000. About half of the recipients sign up for Internet service (56K dialup). The connections are provided at the significantly discounted price of $5 per month by Elirion.

The FACT course portion of CommuniTech covers hardware basics and word processing, spreadsheet, web-browser and e-mail applications. Each volunteer is matched with a client and works with him or her for two hours on Saturday mornings over six weeks.

Shults, the FACT program coordinator, relishes making a difference in the local community: "I was given an amazing opportunity when MIT accepted me. This is my way of giving back and using the skills I've acquired to help others improve their lives."

For more information on how to get involved with the CommuniTech program, contact CSAIL staff members Karla Mansur and Jason Dorfman at communitech-staff@mit.edu, call 617-324-8364 or stop by Room 32-268 in the Stata Center.

IMARA, the organization in CSAIL that sponsors CommuniTech, strives to empower underserved communities through sustainable technology and education.

--Robyn Fizz and Karla Mansur

A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 4, 2008 (download PDF).

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