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The Solutions
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While the long term solutions to this problem are still under debate, there are many solutions that have been proposed or at least put into motion since the digital divide was fully recognized. Through active participation by corporations and people, it is possible to bridge the digital divide before it gets so large that it is unfixable.
Major companies like Microsoft have started to try and bridge the gap that, directly or indirectly, they had some part in creating. From the press release by Microsoft:
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REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 1, 2000 — Microsoft Corp. today announced its latest grant of more than $3 million in software* to TRIO programs in 49 colleges and universities across the United States, providing greater technology access to low-income and first-generation students seeking post-secondary educations. Microsoft's donations to TRIO programs now total more than $24 million in software since 1996. Federally funded, TRIO programs currently help more than 700,000 low-income Americans between the ages of 11 and 27 enter college, graduate and move on to participate more fully in America's economic and social life.
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These donations help those that are left behind due to monetary reasons catch up as they try to advance themselves with college or other post secondary education. Even with millions of dollars in funding from Microsoft alone, this doesn’t fix the problem on its own. From the same press release, Dr. Robert Belle notes that "although there are many millions of Americans that could benefit from participating in TRIO, the current level of funding permits only approximately 6 percent of eligible youth and adults to be served.”
This means that 94% of what is deemed by the TRIO program directors are still not receiving the benefit they could from these programs. The eligibility levels are set by the government and the Department of Education. For 2008, an family unit of four members would have to earn less than a combined $31,800 to be eligible for these program benefits. The main problem with solutions provided by the DoE, as in this case, is that it helps people seeking post secondary education only, and many families earning less than $32,000 a year have trouble getting into positions to attend college, even with government support.
The ability for TRIO programs to give even the slightest boost however is a great thing. On top of these donations Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation donate large amounts to fixing family units and poverty in the Pacific Northwest. The theory there is that without poverty, there should in effect be no reason to have a monetary block to technology.
Other programs in the Pacific Northwest include Digital Promise and the Seattle Community Network. Both of these groups offer programs that start at the community level to help bridge the gap created by the digital divide. Through groups like these participants are able to get direct hands on access to computers and new technology. These groups, generally sponsored by corporations and individuals, give users the ability to see how technology works in a live setting, as opposed to just being instructed on how to use it. From my experience teaching computer programs to a wide range of users, I’d say that without hands on use of the actual program versions that will be used, very little learning can be done. Even if your program version is only a few behind the current build of software, it can be enough to hold someone back in the college or business realms.
That is why it is so important for groups like Digital Promise and the SCN to have the funding available to keep on top of programs and technology. While it is a struggle, with help it can be done. The problem with outdated technology is a large one. If a user is already timid when it comes to computer software, and then tries to use a version they are unfamiliar with or were not able to use at a technology center, they can feel embarrassed. This embarrassment has a harmful effect down the road as the user may give up on these technologies all together.
The biggest resource that many people forget about is your local library. Generally library branches will offer computers with internet, as well as basic productivity software to card holding members. Some library branches are more traveled than others, making computer availability a slight issue, but for the most part the branches offer an excellent way for members to achieve many of the same benefits people on the other side of the divide can achieve. Sometimes just the ability to check email regularly can be enough to keep up with a job search or workplace memos, and if these branches fall near people’s commutes they are incredibly beneficial. The other drawback however is that for some users the library is out of the way from their normal commute. An even worse situation comes when a potential user has no access to easy transportation, making it more of a chore than they feel it is worth.
No solution thus far is absolute, but through proper funding and a good effort we might see change soon in the digital divide. For a large list of South Puget Sound Library websites, as well as the websites for Digital Promise and the Seattle Community Network please see the “Help in Your Area” Page. Also remember that if you have time to give, one of the simplest solutions to the digital divide is to sit down with a friend or relative and teach them the basic workings of computers. Laying a solid foundation might just help give them the push they needed to seek additional support and jump into the world of technology.
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