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National Economic Council
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Thomas Kalil
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Digital Divide
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19
5
9
2
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
April 4, 1997
Congratulations on the launch of the Web Accessibility
Initiative -- an effort to ensure that people with disabilities
have access to the Internet's World Wide Web.
New information and communications technologies can improve
the quality of life for people with disabilities, but only if such
technologies are designed from the beginning so that everyone can
use them. Given the explosive growth in the use of the World Wide
Web for publishing, electronic commerce, lifelong learning and
the delivery of government services, it is vital that the Web be
accessible to everyone. The Web Accessibility Initiative will
develop the tools, technology, and guidelines to make it possible
to display information in ways that are available to all users.
I commend the World Wide Web Consortium, industry sponsors,
and the Yuri Rubinski Foundation for launching this important
project. I am pleased that the Department of Education will
provide funding for the Web Accessibility Initiative, and that
the National Science Foundation is considering expanding its
support for research and development in this area. My
Administration is committed to working with these and other
organizations to ensure that this innovative project is a
success.
Riu Chinton
PHOTOCOPY
WJC HANDWRITING
July 28, 1998
TAU: Yes, Yes.
MEMORANDUM FOR GENE SPERLING
let's Yes, pushy ON todo This do
FROM:
TOM KALIL
hap unt to
CC:
CECILLIA ROUSE, JEANNE LAMBREW, JON KAPLAN
This 2 cealty + am time with
RE:
"Curbcuts on the Information Superhighway"
spend my it.
Summary: This memo proposes a Presidential initiative/event to accelerate the development
+
and adoption of information and communications technologies that can be easily used by the 55
rul
million Americans with disabilities. The key idea is that technology should be designed from the
wep
beginning to be accessible to people with disabilities, which is referred to as "universal design.'
If technology is accessible, this will significantly improve the quality of life for people with
date
of
+
disabilities, enhance their ability to participate in the workplace, and make them full participants
in the Information Society. However, if information technology is not accessible, Americans
with disabilities could be even more isolated. Presidential leadership is needed to make
information technology accessible to all Americans.
65
Event:
8/25/90
President sees demonstrations of accessible technology.
Speaking program:
-
Person from disabilities community discusses importance of accessibility.
-
Industry leader discusses commitment of private sector to make progress in this
area (e.g. member of Task Force)
President makes policy announcement.
Next steps
If you are comfortable with the outlines of the proposal, I will work to coordinate this on
an inter-agency basis. It will have FY2000 budget implications, however.
1
Possible elements of the initiative
1. Leveraging the government's procurement power to promote accessible technologies
The Administration has been supporting amendments that would strengthen Section 508
of the Rehabilitation Act as part of the "GI Bill." The new Section 508 would require
federal agencies to ensure that both employees and members of the public seeking
government services "have access to and use of information and data" that is equivalent NEW
to people without disabilities. The Access Board would be charged with developing the
on
standards for accessible technology, and these standards would be incorporated into
existing
7
federal procurement regulations.
Strengthening Section 508 would encourage private sector companies that want to sell to
the government to make their products more accessible to people with disabilities.
2. Investing in R&D and testbeds for accessible technologies
The Administration could expand its investment in R&D that would improve the
accessibility of information technology. Currently, the National Science Foundation and
the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) collectively
invest several millions of dollars per year [check] in this area.
The primary goal would be to develop technology that allows people with disabilities to
interact with computers, telecommunications equipment, and information services in a
way that is convenient for them. This might mean supporting R&D for
-
Improved speech recognition technology or "eye-tracking" technology for people
who can't use a keyboard;
-
"Text-to-speech" or "dynamic braille" for people who are blind;
-
Automatic captioning of multimedia or audio for people who are deaf;
-
A device that recognizes American Sign Language and translates it to speech or
text in real-time;
-
Graphical user interfaces or operating systems that are usable by people who are
blind or low-vision; and
-
Storing information so that it can be displayed in multiple formats, depending on
the needs of the user.
2
3. Developing an "Underwriters Laboratory" for accessible technologies
The government could provide start-up funding to a private sector organization --
analogous to the Underwriters' Laboratory -- that would test information &
communications technologies to see if they are accessible. Again, this would improve the
market for accessible technology.
Eventually, this would be self-supporting from user fees.
4. Education and training for universal design
The government could provide grants to universities that develop curriculum on universal
design. These courses, which would be offered in traditional classroom settings and
using distance learning technologies -- would train hardware and software engineers to
develop products that are accessible.
5. Industry consortia for accessibility
Last year, President Clinton endorsed the Web Accessibility Initiative, which was funded
by industry, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research, and the European Community. The Web Accessibility Initiative
is working to make the Web accessible for people with disabilities by:
Making sure that the evolving Web standards are developed with accessibility
concerns in mind;
-
Developing guidelines for accessible Web sites and Web browsers;
-
Raising awareness among people who develop Web sites and Web software about
the importance of the accessibility issue.
The Web Accessibility Initiative was regarded as a significant step forward by the
disabilities community because it gave them an opportunity to work cooperatively with
industry, and to address accessibility concerns from the very beginning.
The government could provide matching funds for industry consortia that would work to
make other technologies accessible, such as interactive television, small, hand-held
computers, and cellular phones.
3
6. Tax incentives
The Treasury Department is examining the proposal to allow a credit of 50 percent of the
first $10,000 of impairment-related work expenses for people with disabilities. These
expenses, in general, are for attendant care services at work and other expenses necessary
to be able to work, but should include assistive technology. This credit would help
expand the market for accessible technology.
4
Michele B.
Ita Partners
Tom Kalil
17 December 1999
Mr. John D. Podesta
Chief of Staff to the President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear John,
Thank you again for taking the time to discuss in detail the possibility of a landmark effort to
close the emerging Digital Divide.
More than ever, we believe that it is critical for the Administration to put a specific placeholder
item in the upcoming budget to subsidize up to 1 million low-income households in America's
poorest communities. We believe that the program is feasible at a $10 per household per month
level, or $120 million next year plus a nominal amount for the level of oversight the
Administration and Congress feel is appropriate.
During our several meetings with White House staff, a few key issues were raised which we
promised to address as our follow up. Those are:
Standards for hardware & internet service
We propose that a public-private partnership either form a new or charter an existing not-for-
profit corporation (e.g., a "Digital Opportunity Corporation"). The Digital Opportunity Corp.
(DOC) would be charged with periodically setting technically neutral standards for minimum
acceptable hardware, software, and ISP services sufficient to provide a base level of home
computing and internet access. As of today, these standards would be, roughly:
1. A 333 Mhz processor
2. Sufficient memory to support multimedia functions (probably 32 MB of RAM)
3. Sufficient hard drive storage for family use (probably 3 GB)
4. A full-featured web browser
5. Free e-mail
6. A Standard software suite including word processing, spreadsheets
Eligibility
Eligibility would be determined by the U.S. Government in its subsidy allocation. Confirmation
of eligibility would be verified by the DOC. The working goal is to provide a subsidy for the
nine million poorest households, or those families with incomes up to 130% of the federal
poverty level.
Fraud
Each machine would carry a serial number. If a participant failed to pay monthly charges, or
illegally sold the machine to someone else, the machine would not be able to gain internet access.
One Embarcadero Center
Suite 4050
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 362-4022
fax (415) 362-6178
[email protected]
Fraudulent sale of the equipment or corporate abuse of the program should carry an appropriate
criminal penalty.
Vendor-neutrality
The proposed voucher scheme would not advantage any vendor or service provider. The
technical standards would not favor or require any particular hardware, software, or architecture.
The proposed standards can be met by virtually all configurations currently in the market. More
cost-efficient vendors would benefit by reducing costs and/or increasing the range of features.
Marketing
We believe that the Administration must take the lead on stimulating the market for this new class
of service. In addition, we expect to secure donations to help market the program.
Privacy
We believe that users of the Universal Access program must be assured of a high level of privacy.
No party will be permitted to monitor usage of the device. The individuals involved may choose
to release some demographic information in exchange for reduced charges or other benefits, but
this cannot be a requirement as part of the Universal Access package. While we believe that
there is a legitimate use for aggregate demographic information about web-users, no personally
identifiable information would be sold to any third party under any circumstances.
Payment mechanism
Payments will be made either through the standard billing system currently employed by the ISP,
or via the phone bill. We realize that many ISPs currently require a credit card to establish an
account. We will work with these providers to help finance these new classes of accounts.
Negative impact on Universal Service
The program will not have any impact on Universal Telephone Service. While standard POP-
server internet access is available via local phone call to 98% of Americans, there may be the
need to explore availability of ISP services in a few of the most rural areas.
Adult content and inappropriate advertising
We do not believe that any censorship standard is appropriate for a governmental program. The
service providers will be required to provide screening software to limit objectionable material as
desired by the users. In order to keep the users co-payment level as low as possible, some
advertising via standard "banner ads" will occur. However, the DOC will be able to create a
reasonable "no" list of advertising that could include items like tobacco, alcohol, adult content,
etc.
Accountability
While we are confident that there is wide industry support for each of these terms, U.S.
Government oversight and resultant accountability is appropriate. We believe that the Board
December 17, 1999
Page 2 of 3
members of the DOC should be selected by the Administration and Congress, and should be
removed at will should an inappropriate policy or allocation of resources be made.
We are all mindful of Gene Sperling's admonition that no good deed goes unpunished in
Washington, DC. Each of the above issues is serious and substantive. Each will give opponents
an opportunity to criticize and demagogue, perhaps both from left and the right. But we know
that no one else has a plan to bring the opportunity of the New Economy into the family room of
America's poorest households, and as ardent supporters of the Administration, we have faith in
your ability to help us navigate this difficult but extraordinarily important process.
Sincerely,
ele Garrett Gruener
DDL
Wade Randlett
Eric Schmidt
General Partner, Alta Partners
Vice President, Red Gorilla
CEO, Novell
John NLungs
Nick GROUF
Charles Katy
John Luongo
Nick Grouf
Charles Katz
Former CEO, Vantive
Chairman & CEO, PeoplePC
President & CEO, 1stUp.com
Him
Jheil Wemtrant
Danny Rimer
J. Neil Weintraut
Partner, The Barksdale Group
Partner, 21st Century Internet Venture Partners
December 17, 1999
Page 3 of 3
Ita Partners
17 December 1999
Honorable William Jefferson Clinton
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Clinton,
Under separate cover we have sent to John Podesta the latest details of our proposal for Universal
Access to the Internet for lower-income American families.
In short, we believe that it is economically and logistically feasible to give up to 1 million
families unlimited internet access for only a $120 million per year federal government subsidy.
Our goal is to extend internet access to all Americans who are interested within 5 years. We urge
you in the strongest possible way to include a placeholder in your upcoming budget for this
important national priority.
As a proof-of-concept, we are currently exploring a "jump-start" program for approximately 500
poor families in the Bay Area, for which we would raise privately the funds necessary for the
subsidy that would ultimately be provided by the federal government.
The Digital Divide today is a real problem that will only get worse unless we address it now. As
ardent and longtime supporters of your Administration, we believe that this initiative would be an
excellent complement to your life-long commitment to bring full educational and economic
opportunity to every American.
We each stand ready to help make this idea a reality.
Warmest Regards,
DDR
Garrett Gruener
Wade Randlett
Eric Schmidt
General Partner, Alta Partners
Vice President, Red Gorilla
CEO, Novell
John RLungs
Nick GROUF
Charles Katy
John Luongo
Nick Grouf
Charles Katz
Former CEO, Vantive
Chairman & CEO, PeoplePC
President & CEO, 1stUp.com
The
Jheil Wemtrans
Danny Rimer
J. Neil Weintraut
Partner, The Barksdale Group
Partner, 21st Century Internet Venture Partners
One Embarcadero Center
Suite 4050
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 362-4022
fax (415) 362-6178
[email protected]
Proposal for the Digital Opportunity Act
No American shall be denied the treasures of the
world wide web for want of family resources
Widespread internet access is rapidly becoming a integral part of sustaining our
democracy. By acting aggressively now, we can pre-empt a future with a "digital
divide" between information have's and have-not's. Further we can use the internet
to enhance opportunity for lower-income Americans. We can help people help
themselves overcome inadequate education, lack of health and wellness information,
and limited job and career prospects. Moreover, the Internet can help accelerate
the process of re-inventing government, and thereby promote cost savings and
increased efficiency to governments and taxpayers alike. To accomplish this, we
must include every interested American in the Internet revolution.
Background
Since 1934 in the name of Universal Service, the Federal Government has acted to ensure
that all Americans have affordable access to telecommunications services. When the
1996 Telecommunications act was passed, the FCC established the first specific
definition of the "basic package" of essential services that Universal Service
encompasses. This currently includes;
1) Voice grade access to the public telephone network, with the ability to place
and receive calls; 2) touch-tone service; 3) single-party service; 4) access to
emergency services, including 911 and Enhanced 911 (which identifies a caller's
location); 5) access to operator services; 6) access to interexchange services; 7)
access to directory assistance; and 8) Lifeline and Link Up services for qualifying
low-income consumers¹
We propose that the federal government has a legitimate interest in expanding
"communications access" to include computing and internet access for low-income
Americans, with an income ceiling at either at 130% of poverty level, or as much as
$25,000 for a family of four. In exchange for a co-payment between $5.00 and $10.00
per month, qualifying citizens would receive:
1) A new computer, replaced every 36 months, capable of surfing the Web,
sending email, storing ample data, and performing common software tasks
(word processing, spreadsheets, money management, etc.).
2) Dial-up Internet access.
We believe that in the 21st century, home Internet service will be critical for any citizen to
be a productive part of American society. Internet tools like e-mail are becoming integral
parts of our communication system. Job searches and online educational courses are
I
The new definition of Universal Service, Benton Foundation, June 10, 1997
http://www.benton.org/Updates/summary.html
Page 1 of 5
becoming popular Internet activities. When every American becomes connected to the
Internet at home there will also be a number of benefits for local, state, and federal
Governments. Government services could use this public-private partnership as an
effective means of communicating with low-income citizens regarding, among others,
Health care information
Tax and Social Security information
Child welfare information
Unlimited educational material for children.
The 1998 Department of Commerce report, Falling Through The Net, sums up these
benefits quite well.
Traditionally, our notion of being connected to the nation's communications
networks has meant having a telephone. Today, Americans' increased use of
computers and the Internet has changed that notion. To be connected today
increasingly means to have access to telephones, computers, and the Internet.
While these items may not be necessary for survival, arguably in today's
emerging digital economy they are necessary for success. As the Department of
Commerce has found in its Emerging Digital Economy reports, the dramatic
growth of electronic commerce and the development of information technology
(IT) industries are changing the way Americans work, communicate, purchase
goods, and obtain information. Jobs in the new economy now increasingly
require technical skills and familiarity with new technologies. Additionally,
obtaining services and information increasingly requires access to the Internet. 2
The 1996 Telecommunications Act describes Universal Service as an "evolving level of
telecommunications services" and suggests that any changes should consider;
The extent to which such telecommunications services-- (A) are essential to
education, public health, or public safety; (B) have, through the operation of
market choices by customers, been subscribed to by a substantial majority of
residential customers; (C) are being deployed in public telecommunications
networks by telecommunications carriers; and (D) are consistent with the public
interest, convenience, and necessity.³
We believe that home Internet service satisfies conditions A, C and D and that soon it
will satisfy condition B.
Internet Lifeline Service For Qualifying Low Income Consumers
Currently less than 6% of households whose income is under $15,000 are connected to
the Internet at home⁴. The monthly cost of an ISP and the cost of computer hardware are
the two most significant impediments to home Internet access for low-income Americans.
2 Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide, US Department of Commerce, July 1999, Page 77
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/ftn99/contents.html
3
1996 Telecommunications Act, US Government, Section 254 part (c)
http://www.technologylaw.com/techlaw/act.html
4
Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide, Chart II-2
Page 2 of 5
The most important reasons why certain households have never used the Internet
is that they "don't want it" or it is too expensive. Although the former is the more
important reason overall, the cost factor dominates among low-income groups,
Hispanics, single-parent families, the youngest householders, and the
unemployed. Policymakers should therefore consider the role of cost as a
deterrent to expanding online access.⁵
To make home Internet access affordable for all Americans we propose subsidizing
monthly Internet service for low-income consumers. We envision two possible uses for
these subsidies. The few low-income consumers who already own a PC or Internet
capable device can use their subsidies for free Internet access. Those who do not own
their own hardware can use their subsidy to help pay for a combination package of
Internet service and hardware if they make a modest monthly "co-payment."
We propose distributing the subsidy in the form of vouchers, allowing qualified
households to purchase Internet service from any ISP, or ISP/Hardware provider they
desire. Eligibility for this program would be determined in a manner similar to the
Federal food stamp program. Eligibility for food stamps is based on citizenship, income
and asset ownership. Gross monthly income cannot exceed 130% of Federal Poverty
guidelines. Approximately nine million American households are currently eligible for
this program.
There are two places that the federal government needs to supply a subsidy to make this
service affordable to low-income Americans. Internet service providers and hardware
manufacturers. The federal Government need not decide how much should go to each
provider, but rather would issue a voucher in the range of $10 per household per month to
private-sector partners who meet the minimum criteria spelled out by a supervising body.
Hardware manufacturers and internet service providers would work together to create,
market, distribute, and service those customers who signed up for their particular
package.
Cost Estimates
The Universal Access proposal is built on the following assumptions:
Internet appliances are becoming extremely affordable.
There is a strong public policy argument for subsidizing Internet access for
underprivileged Americans
The screen real estate is valuable, and can be sold (with appropriate restrictions)
to advertisers
The cost of bulk ISP services will remain constant (a very conservative
assumption)
5
Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide, Page 39
Page 3 of 5
For the purposes of this analysis, we have assumed that the hardware and software can be
purchased for $360, including a monitor, in quantities exceeding 500,000 units. This
assumption is based upon quotes we have seen for similar devices within the last 90 days.
We also assume that the co-payment would be $5 per month, and that the net subsidy
would be $10 per month. Bulk ISP services are included at a rate of eight dollars per
month. We further assume that the screen real estate would be sold by the vendor for five
dollars per month (net) in year one, rising to ten dollars per month by year three. The
hardware is assumed to have zero value by the end of three years. The result is a net
present value of approx. $440, which should provide adequate incentive for multiple
vendors to offer a competitive hardware/connectivity package.
The hardware could be either a specially designed consumer device optimized for ease of
use, or a full PC. It would include at least a 333 Mhz processor, 32 Mbytes of RAM,
built-in speakers, and a monitor. The software would include a fully capable internet
browser and an office suite, including word processor and spreadsheet.
We expect that we could distribute up to one million units in the first year of the program,
up to four million in year two, and up to nine million in year three.
Timeline
We envision this as a five year program. Within this timeframe we want all low-income
consumers who desire home Internet service to have it. This is an ambitious goal, but an
attainable one. To accomplish this, the program must be well advertised and designed.
Fortunately the Government is not the only organization that will have an incentive to
advertise this service. If the voucher system is used, ISP's and computer manufacturers
will also have an incentive to advertise the availability of them.
Proposed Program Structure
We propose that a public-private partnership either form a new or charter an existing not-
for-profit corporation (e.g., a "Digital Opportunity Corporation"). The Digital
Opportunity Corp. (DOC) would be charged with periodically setting technically neutral
standards for minimum acceptable hardware, software, and ISP services sufficient to
provide a base level of home computing and internet access. In addition, the DOC would
have responsibilities for determining eligibility requirements, appropriate advertising
policies and managing the overall program. See exhibit 1.
Future
We do not expect that we will have to maintain these subsidies in the future. As more
Americans become connected to the Internet, prices for hardware and connectivity will
continue to drop. Advertising revenue on the Internet is likely to increase to the point where
internet capable devices and their corresponding ISP's are given away for free. Nonetheless
we believe that the Government must make the initial push to get these families connected to
the Internet today, otherwise they may never get connected. With a subsidy model, rather
Page 4 of 5
than a taxation model, the government may simply phase out its payments as the private
market renders the subsidy unnecessary.
Conclusion
The next five years are important ones in the development of the online community in the
United States. Competition has done a wonderful job in creating thousands of dial-up
ISP's around the nation and the drop in computer prices the past few years has been
dramatic. Nonetheless there is an opportunity today for the Government to improve the
equitable distribution of this important social good. The low-income consumer could be
left behind in today's digital revolution, and it is imperative that they be given effective,
high-quality access to computing and communication over the Internet and Web.
Page 5 of 5
Exhibit 1
Universal Access
Program Structure
Vouchers
Individual
Hardware Contributions
Digital
Opportunity
Corporation
Co-Payment
Internet access
Government Subsidy
Hardware
for 9 million
Service
Americans
Providers
Government Loan Guarantee
Revenue
Government Public Service Ads
Sponsors
THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION:
A NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
April 4, 2000
President Clinton Will Announce Today That Over 400 Companies And Non-Profit Organizations Have
Signed A "National Call To Action" To Bring Digital Opportunity To Youth, Families And Communities. The
President will be joined by the Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, Senator Barbara Mikulski and Julian Lacey, a
longtime volunteer at Plugged In, a Community Technology Center in East Palo Alto, California. He will announce
his "National Call to Action" to help bring digital opportunity to youth, families and communities around the country.
Over 400 companies and non-profit organizations have agreed to sign this Call to Action.
President Clinton's "National Call To Action." President Clinton has issued a "National Call to Action" to
challenge corporations and non-profit organizations to take concrete steps to meet two critical goals:
Provide 21st Century Learning Tools For Every Child In Every School. For children to succeed, they
need to master basic skills at an early age. The ability to use technology to learn and succeed in the
workplace of the 21st century has become a "new basic" -- creating a national imperative to ensure that every
child is technologically literate. To reach this goal, America needs a comprehensive approach to connect
every classroom, provide all students with access to multimedia computers, train teachers to use and
integrate technology into the curriculum, and to provide high quality online content and educational
software.
Create Digital Opportunity For Every American Family And Community. For all families and
communities to benefit from the New Economy, we must ensure that all Americans have access to technology
and the skills needed to use it. We must work to meet the long-term goal of making home access to the
Internet universal, bring technology to every neighborhood through community technology centers, empower
all citizens with IT skills, and motivate more people to appreciate the value of "getting connected."
The President Will Announce Several Initiatives To Help Bring Digital Opportunity To All Americans. The
President will announce the following initiatives that demonstrate a real commitment by the public and private
sectors to work together to bridge the digital divide:
$12.5 Million For An "E-Corps." The Corporation for National Service will commit $10 million to
recruit 750 qualified AmeriCorps members for projects aimed at bringing digital opportunity to youth,
families and communities. These volunteers will provide technical support to school computer systems,
tutor at Community Technology Centers, and offer IT training for high-tech careers. The Corporation for
National Service will also commit $2.5 million for digital divide projects under the Learn and Serve
program, which allows young people to make a difference in their communities while going to school.
Yahoo! Will Invest $1 Million in Digital Opportunity. Yahoo! will provide an Internet advertising
campaign worth $1 million to enlist volunteers with high-tech skills for AmeriCorps' digital divide
initiative. The Yahoo! banner ads will help AmeriCorps meet the challenge of recruiting volunteers with
high-tech skills to work on technology-related projects.
3Com Launches NetPrep GYRLS. In partnership with the YWCA's TechGYRLS program, 3Com will
announce NetPrep GYRLS, a $330,000 program that will offer girls aged 14-16 training in computer
networking. Currently, women represent less than 30 percent of U.S. computer scientists and computer
programmers. The 3Com NetPrep curriculum will allow high school girls to focus their technical education
on computer networking, leading to an industry-standard certification. 3Com expects to reach 600 girls in 30
NetPrep GYRLS locations across the country.
American Library Association. The American Library Association will pledge to help bridge the digital
divide by working with its members to create or expand "information literacy" programs in at least 250
communities around the country. People with information literacy skills are able to recognize when
information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively.
President Clinton Will Also Announce His Third New Markets Tour - From Digital Divide to Digital
Opportunity. On April 17-18, President Clinton, accompanied by CEOs, Members of Congress, Cabinet Secretaries
and community leaders will focus national attention on initiatives aimed at overcoming the digital divide and creating
opportunities for youth, families and communities. The President will travel to East Palo Alto, California; the Navajo
Nation in Shiprock, New Mexico; and Chicago, Illinois to highlight private and public-sector initiatives to help bring
digital opportunity to all Americans. Later this month, the President will travel to rural North Carolina to stress the
importance of expanding rural access to the emerging broadband Internet.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
AND CREATING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS
Access to computers and the Internet and the ability to effectively use this technology are becoming increasingly
important for full participation in America's economic, political and social life. People are using the Internet to
find lower prices for goods and services, work from home or start their own business, acquire new skills using
distance learning, and make better informed decisions about their healthcare needs. The ability to use
technology is becoming increasingly important in the workplace, and jobs in the rapidly growing information
technology sector pay almost 80 percent more than the average private sector wage.
Technology, used creatively, can also make a big difference in the way teachers teach and students learn. In
some classrooms, teachers are using the Internet to keep up with the latest developments in their field, exchange
lesson plans with their colleagues, and communicate more frequently with parents. Students are able to log on
to the Library of Congress to download primary documents for a history paper, explore the universe with an
Internet-connected telescope used by professional astronomers, and engage in more active "learning by doing."
Students are also creating powerful Internet-based learning resources that can be used by other students - such
as award-winning Web sites on endangered species, the biology of sleep, human perception of sound, and an
exploration of the American judicial system.
Access to computers and the Internet has exploded during the Clinton-Gore Administration. Unfortunately,
there is strong evidence of a "digital divide" -- a gap between those individuals and communities that have
access to these Information Age tools and those who don't. A July 1999 report from the Department of
Commerce, based on December 1998 Census Department data, revealed that:
Better educated Americans more likely to be connected. Between 1997 and 1998, the technology divide
between those at the highest and lowest education levels increased 25%. In 1998, those with a college
degree are more than eight times likely to have a computer at home and nearly sixteen times as likely to have
home Internet access as those with an elementary school education.
The gap between high- and low-income Americans is increasing. In the last year, the divide between
those at the highest and lowest income levels grew 29%. Urban households with incomes of $75,000 or
higher are more than twenty times more likely to have access to the Internet than rural households at the
lowest income levels, and more than nine times as likely to have a computer at home.
Whites more likely to be connected than African-Americans or Hispanics. The digital divide is also
persistent along racial and ethnic lines. Whites are more likely to have access to the Internet from home
than African-Americans or Hispanics have from any location. African-American and Hispanic households
are roughly two-fifths as likely to have home Internet access as white households. However, for incomes of
$75,000 and higher, the divide between whites and African-Americans has narrowed considerably in the last
year.
Rural areas less likely to be connected than urban users. Regardless of income level, those living in rural
areas are lagging behind in computer ownership and Internet access. At some income levels, those in urban
areas are 50% more likely to have Internet access than those earning the same income in rural areas. Low
income households in rural areas are the least connected, with connectivity rates in the singles digits for
both computers and Internet access.
In addition, data from the National Center for Education Statistics reveals a "digital divide" in our nation's schools.
As of the fall of 1998, 39 percent of classrooms of poor schools were connected to the Internet, as compared to 74
percent in wealthier schools.
EQUITY IN AN INFORMATION SOCIETY
Thomas A. Kalil
[email protected]
White House National Economic Council
Conference Board
December 8, 1997
1
QUESTIONS
How can IT (computers, networks, new media) bring Americans together, as
opposed to further polarizing American society?
What applications of IT can empower low-income Americans and distressed
communities?
What policies is the Administration currently pursuing in this area?
How does any of this relate to the interests of major IT companies?
2
MARKET TRENDS
Moore's Law
Low cost information appliances
Metcalfe's Law (value of network increases with the square of people connected to
it)
Free (advertiser-supported) services such as e-mail
Very low unemployment
IT worker shortage
3
PRESIDENT'S ED. TECH INITIATIVE
Goals are:
-
Increase access to multimedia computers
-
Connect every classroom to the Internet by 2000
-
Encourage development of high-quality content related to curriculum
-
Ensure that teachers can use technology effectively
Special emphasis on poor schools
-
Up to 90 percent discounts for Internet access to poorest schools through
Universal Service
-
Special effort to target Empowerment Zones schools
Significant private sector involvement
4
INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS
NTIA's TIIAP program
Community Voice Mail
Community Technology Centers (e.g. "Plugged In")
Public health (Michigan childhood immunization networks)
Community networks
Neighborhood Early Warning System
Delivery of social services
5
NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS
Computer learning centers in HUD-insured and assisted properties. Applications include
Early childhood education programs
Typing, word processing and computer skills
Adult educational opportunities
Job/labor market information
Micro-enterprise development
6
LEARNING ON DEMAND
Policy still under development, but vision includes
"Anytime, anywhere" learning opportunities for adults
Adult learners can use grants, credits and loans for distance learning
New forms of assessment (e.g. competency-based, not seat-time)
High-quality courseware & instructional material
-
For low-income Americans this might include adult literacy, English as Second
Language, GED, basic and remedial skills
7
OTHER POSSIBILITIES
Tele-mentoring
Support for "communities of interest" focused on low-income Americans (e.g.
community development, welfare-to-work, community policing)
Creative uses of IT by non-profit sector
-
e.g. - Impact Online - which matches volunteers with non-profits
Accessibility for people with disabilities
Large, public domain, digital library
School-to-work (e.g. Novell CNE program)
8
POSSIBLE NEXT STEPS
1.
Market research on:
-
Cultural/social barriers to adoption
-
Applications needed by low-income Americans and communities
2.
More in-depth discussions around
-
Business case for private sector involvement
-
One or more specific issues or initiatives
3.
Form gov't-industry-non-profit partnerships to "scale" one or more pilots
9
Equity in an Information Society: pointers to additional information (12/8/97)
1.
President's Educational Technology Initiative
http://www.whitehouse.gov/edtech.html
http://www.ed.gov/Technology/
2.
NTIA TIIAP program
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/tiap/index.html
3.
Neighborhood Networks
http://www.hud.gov/nnw/nnwindex.html
4.
Non-profit links
Impact Online: http://www.impactonline.org
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet): http://www.ctcnet.org/
5.
Tele-mentoring
Background on tele-mentoring: http://www.ctcnet.org/telement.html
HP tele-mentoring program: http://mentor.external.hp.com/index.html
AN OPEN LETTER ON ACCESSIBILITY FROM TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVES
The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
September 21, 2000
Dear Mr. President:
As the CEOs of a number of America's leading high-tech companies, we strongly support your
efforts to promote the accessibility of information and communications products and services for
people with disabilities.
We believe that there are two compelling reasons to do so. First, accessible information technology
can be a powerful tool for expanding opportunity in the emerging information society. If our
products and services are designed to be accessible, people with disabilities will find it easier to
work, access a growing universe of electronic information and services, and lead more independent
lives. If we fail to do this, people with disabilities could be further isolated from the mainstream of
our economy and our society. Second, there are sound economic and commercial incentives to
make our products more accessible. Globally, there are over 750 million people with disabilities,
and there are 54 million in the United States alone. Making our products accessible will also make
it easier for us to serve the rapidly growing population of seniors. Moreover, increasing the
accessibility of our products can often improve their functionality for everyone, not just for people
with disabilities. Designing products and services that can give customers a choice of input and
output mechanisms will help people with disabilities, but it will also help the mobile professional
trying to access the Web on a handheld wireless device.
This issue requires private sector leadership. The federal government can help create the right
policy environment, but it is ultimately companies that must design, develop and market accessible
products and services. To make concrete progress on this issue, and to elevate its importance
within our companies, all of us are committed to developing a corporate-wide policy on
accessibility within the next six months. The specifics of our policies will vary because of the
different markets that we serve, but all of us will seek to include the following private sector "best
practices" as appropriate:
Raise the level of awareness of accessibility issues within our company, and provide our
employees with the training they need to design accessible products and services;
Develop accessibility guidelines for products and services, and hold product development
groups accountable for implementing these guidelines where technically and economically
feasible;
1
Involve people with disabilities in the development of our accessibility guidelines, or in the
design and testing of our products and services;
Devote sufficient product development and engineering resources to identify and rapidly
address known accessibility problems, in future products and upgrades;
Make it easier for our developer community to create accessible products and services by
making available training, guidelines, and technology solutions;
Document the accessibility features of our products and publicly-available services;
Support internal and external (e.g. university-based) research and development that will
improve the state-of-the-art of accessible technology that is relevant to our products and
services; and
Support implementation of standards that advance accessibility, such as the World Wide Web
Consortium (W3C) guidelines on accessible browsers, Web content and authoring tools.
As an industry, we will also commit to establishing a Web site that will collect private sector
policies on accessibility as a way of encouraging the rapid dissemination and adoption of best
practices. Thank you for your leadership on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John Warnock
Meg Whitman
Dr. Irwin M. Jacobs
CEO
President & CEO
Chairman of the Board
Adobe Systems, Inc.
eBay, Inc.
Qualcomm
Stephen M. Case
Leo J. Hindery, Jr.
Scott A. McNealy
Chairman & CEO
CEO
Chairman & CEO
America Online, Inc.
Global Crossing
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
C. Michael Armstrong
Carly S. Fiorina
Eric A. Benhamou
Chairman & CEO
President & CEO
Chairman & CEO
AT&T
Hewlett-Packard Company
3Com Corporation
Duane Ackerman
Rob Burgess
James C. Morgan
Chairman & CEO
Chairman & CEO
Chairman & CEO
BellSouth
Macromedia, Inc.
Applied Materials, Inc.
Michael D. Capellas
Steve Ballmer
Donna Dubinsky
President & CEO
CEO
CEO
Compaq Computer Corp.
Microsoft Corporation
Handspring
2
John Keane
Nick Grouf
Bob Young
Chairman & CEO
CEO & Founder
Chairman
Keane, Inc.
PeoplePC, Inc.
Red Hat, Inc.
Peter Hering
Elaine M. Verna
Lucia Klebar
President
President/Acting CEO
President
PST, Inc.
IsSound Corporation
ProMentor
Amardeep Lamba
Curt M. Vinson
LaWanda Armstrong
President
President
President & CEO
Absolute Solutions, Inc.
Lyme Computer Systems
QuesTech
Communications
Larry L. Petersen
Lalit J. Chabria
President
President
Ariel Kleckner
Advanced Network
Micropower Business
President & Founder
Technologies, Inc.
Solutions
Red Gorilla
David Lane
Marc Ostrofsky
Sterling Ledet
General Partner
President
President
Alpine Technology
Multimedia Venture
Sterling Ledet &
Ventures
Partners
Associates, Inc.
Mark Hill
Lars Nyberg
Gregory M. Avis
President
Chairman & CEO
Managing Partner
Baker Hill Corp.
NCR Corporation
Summit Partners
David Westin
Frank J. Ponzio, Jr.
President & CEO
George F. Adam, Jr.
President & Founder
Channel Automation, Inc.
Chairman & CEO
Symbolic Systems, Inc.
NEON New Era Networks
Hani MN Alaouie
Paul Okoye Chukwudi
President
Rick Dutta
President & CEO
Dearborn Technical
CEO
Synergistic Software
Institute
Nexgenix
Solutions
Scott A. Martin
Tim O'Reilley
William M. Nelson
President
Founder
CEO
diCarta, Corp.
O'Reilley & Associates
Will Nelson Computer
Services, Inc.
Paul Lippe
Jimmy Edwards
CEO
President & CEO
Arthur R. Rippey
e-SKOLAR
Premier Computing
President
Training
World Technology
Brad Beckman
Computer Learning
CEO
Center, Inc.
JTBS, Inc
3
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4 of 4
2/15/2000 8:47 PM
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
A NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
April 4, 2000
Access to information technology and the Internet and the ability to use this technology effectively are
becoming increasingly important to full participation in America's economic, political and social life. While
computer and Internet access has exploded in recent years, America faces a "digital divide"- a gap between
those who have access to Information Age tools and the skills to use them and those who don't.
America has an important choice to make: we can allow unequal access to deepen existing divisions along
the lines of race, income, education level, geography, and disability -- or we can use technology as a
powerful tool to help make the American dream a reality for more people. To help create digital opportunity
for more Americans, we must create strong partnerships between government, industry, and the rich mosaic
of America's civil society - including educators, labor unions, librarians, civil rights leaders, faith-based
organizations, foundations, volunteers, and community-based organizations.
As companies, non-profit organizations and individuals, we are committed to taking concrete steps to
meet two critical national goals: (1) Ensuring Access To 21st Century Learning Tools For Every Child
In Every School; and (2) Expanding Digital Opportunity For Every American Family And
Community. We pledge to support these two goals.
GOAL ONE: 21ST CENTURY LEARNING TOOLS FOR EVERY CHILD IN EVERY SCHOOL
For children to succeed, they need to master basic skills at an early age. A critical element of this is the need
for information and technological literacy. To help achieve these aims, we must focus on a comprehensive
approach to integrating technology into teaching and learning while recognizing that -- as powerful as
technology is it is no substitute for an inspiring teacher or a loving parent. Together, we must:
1. Connect every classroom to the Internet
2. Ensure that all students have modern multi-media computer access, ideally at a ratio of 1 computer
for every 4-5 students
3. Ensure that teachers are technologically literate and can integrate technology into the curriculum
4. Make available high quality educational software and online learning resources
GOAL TWO: DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
To ensure that no family or community is left behind, we must:
1. Set the long-term goal of making home access to the Internet universal
2. Bring technology to every community urban, rural, and Native American -- through Community
Technology Centers and high-speed networks
3. Give adults the skills they need to use information technology and compete for jobs in the IT sector
4. Motivate and inspire more people to appreciate the value of "getting connected"
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
THE NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
APRIL 4, 2000
2030 Center
Asian American Drug Abuse
3Com
Program
9 to 5 National Organization for
Asian Community Mental Health
Working Women
Services
ABLE-NET Internet Services
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes
Abyssinian Development
Association of Jesuit Colleges and
Corporation
Universities
Adaptive Computer Empowerment
Association of Rehabilitation
Services
Programs in Computer Technology
AFL-CIO
(ARPCT)
Afronet
Associations of Tech Act Projects
Altum
Baltimore Urban Technology
America Online
Network
American Association of Colleges for
Baptist Health System
Teacher Education
Bay Mills Community College
American Association on Mental
BellSouth
Retardation
Biltmore Properties
American Association of People with
Blackboard, Inc.
Disabilities
Black Cyberspace Online
American Council of the Blind
Black Data Processing Association
American Distance Education
Cleveland Chapter
Consortium (ADEC)
Black Data Processing Association
American Federation of Teachers
Bay Area Chapter
American Indian College Fund
Black Data Processing Association
American Indian Higher Education
Cincinnati Chapter
Consortium
Black Data Processing Association
American Indian Higher Education
Foundation
Consortium Student Congress
Blackfeet Community College
American Indian Rehabilitation Rights
Black Geeks Online
Organization of Warriors
Blackfeet Tribal Business
American Indian Science and
Information Center
Engineering Society
Blackfilm.com
American Library Association
Bloodworth Integrated Technology
American Medical Women's
Bloomfield Learning Center
Association
Boardroom Presentations
American Statistical Association
Boomer Agenda
Americans for Democratic Action
Boston Photo Collaborative
Americans for Indian Opportunity
Buffalo State College Leadership
anybill.com
Volunteer Center
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
THE NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
APRIL 4, 2000
Byte Back
Communications Workers of America
C.B. Williams & Associates
Communities in School
Cabazon Band of Mission Indians
Community Housing and Supportive
Cable & Wireless
Services (CHASS)
California Breast Cancer Organizations
Community Technology Centers'
California Council of the Blind
Network (CTCNet)
California Foundation on the
Compaq
Environment and the Economy
Comprehensive Action Network
California Indian Education
Computer & Communications
Association
Industry Association (CCIA)
Campus Outreach Opportunity
Computerworks
League
Computing Technology Industry
Cankdeska Cikana Community
Association (CompTIA)
College
Consortium for School Networking
Career Communications Group
Construction Management Association
Center for Academic and Social
of America
Advancement/Centro de Avanze Social
Conwal/CESSI
y Academico (CASA)
Council of Chief State School Officers
Center for Management Assistance
Covad
Center for Parent Investment in
Crownpoint Institute of Technology
Education (CPIE)
Curriculum Resource Solutions
Center for Public Outreach
CyberYouth Networks
Center for Universal Design
D-Q University
Center for Urban Youth and Technology,
DataSource
University of Albany, SUNY
Democratic Leadership Conference
Central Dallas Ministries
Destiny Communications Institute
Children's Developmental Center
Dimensions International
Chinatown Service Center
Diné College
Cincinnati Business Incubator
Disability Rights Education Defense
Circle Solutions
Fund
Cisco Systems
DISKovery Computer Learning Center
Civic Association Serving Harlem
DJM Internet Marketing
(CASH-Tech)
Downtown Jackson Community
CivicZone.com
Development Corporation
Closing the Gap Program/ Black
Dull Knife Memorial College
Child and Family Institute
East River Electric Power Cooperative
Coalition for Fair Employment in
Easter Seals
Silicon Valley
Easy Access
College Board
eBay
College of Menomlnee Nation
EcomForum
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
THE NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
APRIL 4, 2000
ECOutlook.com
Helping Hand of Goodwill Industries
Edgewood Management Corporation
Hewlett-Packard
Education Technology Think Tank
High School/High Tech
(ET3)
HKC Communications, Inc.
Education Turnkey Systems, Inc.
Hope for Kids
Educational Systems Consulting
Houston Area Physics Teachers Group
Educational Testing Service (ETS)
(HAPTG)
Edventions
Human Capital Investment
Electronic Data Systems (EDS)
Associates, Inc.
Enron, Inc.
Hunexus
Enterprise Computer Services
IBM Corporation
Enterprise Integration Corporation
Imaginuity Interactive
Expedia, Inc.
Individuals with Disabilities
ExplorNet
Enabling Advocacy Link (IDEAL)
Faith Incorporated
Information Brokers, Inc.
Falu Foundation
Institute of American Indian Arts
Family Solutions
Institute for Learning Technologies,
FIBRE Internationale
Teachers College, Columbia University
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community
Intel Corporation
College
Interactive Media Management
Foothill Indian Education Alliance
International Association of
Fort Belknap College
Business, Industry and Rehabilitation
Fort Berthold Community College
International Child Art Foundation
Fort Peck Community College
International Society for Technology
in Education
Foundation for Successful Solutions
Project T.E.C.H
International Telework Association
Foundation for the Future of Youth
and Council (ITAC)
Internet Without Borders
Friends of the Alexandria Talking
Book Service
I-SAFE America
Gateway
Jewish Vocational Service
GetThere.com
Joint Policy Board for Mathematics
GlobalCom Internetworks, Inc.
Joint Venture and Silicon Valley
Network
govWorks.com
K12nation.net
Green Thumb, Inc.
Harlem Center for Education
Kaplan Educational Centers
KDS Internet
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
Haskell Indian Nations University
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community
College
Havre Eagles Manor
Healtheon/WebMD
KnowledgeBase
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
THE NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
APRIL 4, 2000
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa
Mexican Heritage Corporation
Community College
Microsoft Corporation
La Plaza Telecommunity
Milestone Communications
LatinNetShopper.com and Latin
Millennium 2000 Training Group
Online Services
Minnesota Licensed Family Child
Latino Civil Rights Center
Care Association
Leadership Conference Education
Minority Business Enterprise Legal
Fund
Defense/Education Fund
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
Mirage Information and Research
LEADS Corporation
Services
League of United Latin American
Mississippi State University
Citizens
Mobile Housing Board
Leech Lake Tribal College
Mogean Tribe of Indians of
Libraries for the Future
Connecticut
LINCT Coalition
Morino Institute
Little Big Horn College
Motorola, Inc.
Little Priest Tribal College
Multi-CAP
Little Tokyo Service Center
National Adult Education Professional
Lockheed Martin Missiles Fire
Development Consortium, Inc.
Control, Dallas
National Alliance of Black Student
Lockman Publishing
Educators
Los Angeles Eye Institute
Native American Systems, Inc.
Lowestfare.com
National Asian American
Lucent Technologies
Telecommunications Association
Lumbee Tribe
(NAATA)
Magner Interactive Group, Inc.
National Association of College and
Marymount University
University Business Officers
(NACUBO)
Matz, Blancato & Associates, Inc.
National Association of Federally
MCI Worldcom
Impacted Schools
McMahon Associates
National Association of Latino
McMath-Hulbert Observatory
College Students
M-E-A.com
National Association of Nutrition And
Media Exchange International
Aging Services Program
Mentoring Partnerships
National Association of Secondary
Mercer & Associates
School Principals
Metropolitan Area Advisory
National Bandwith, Inc.
Committee on Anti-Poverty, San
National Black Chamber of Commerce
Diego County
National Black MBA Association,
Mexican American Legal Defense
San Francisco Chapter
and Educational Fund
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
THE NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
APRIL 4, 2000
National Caucus and Center on Black
NetVDV
Aged
Networking for Democracy
National Center for American Indian
NewDeal, Inc.
Enterprise Development - AZ
New Markets Equity Fund
National Center for American Indian
New York Public Library
Enterprise Development - CA
Newark Enterprise Community
National Center of Accessible Media
Resource Development Center
National Coalition of the Churches of
Newtek International
Christ in the USA
Nexus Forums
National Congress of American Indians
North Carolina Center for
National Council of Teachers of
International Understanding
Mathematics
North Carolina State University
National Education Association
Northern Electric Cooperative, Inc.
National Federation of the Blind
Northern Virginia Technology Council
National Haitian American Foundation
Northwest Indian College
National Housing Conference
Nova Management Services
National Indian Business Association
Novanetwork
National Indian Telecommunications
Novell, Inc.
Institute
Ntegrity Telecontent Services, Inc.
National Latino Children's Institute
Oglala Lakota College
National PTA
Ohio Community Computing Centers
National Puerto Rico Coalition
Network
National Rural Electric Cooperative
One Net Now
Association
One World Media Center
National Rural Transportation
On-Line Educators
Cooperative
Online Internet Institute
National School & Community Corps
Open Voice
National Silver Haired Congress
Operation Hope, Inc.
National Telecommuting Institute, Inc.
Oracle Corporation
National Urban League, Inc.
Organization Concerned About Rural
National Women's Law Center
Education (OCRE)
Native American Public
Organization of Chinese Americans
Telecommunications
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
Nebraska Indian Community College
Pelham Computer Center
Neighborhood Network Center at
People Without Borders
Durango Housing
Neighborhood Networks Training
PeoplePC
Center at Pedestal Gardens Apartment
Phelps-Stoke Fund
NetDay
Philadelphians Concerned About
Housing
NetSchools Corporation
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
THE NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
APRIL 4, 2000
Pierce Mix Associates
Share the Technology
PowerUP
ShopNow.com
Progressive Life Center
Sierra Baca Services
Progressive Policy Institute
Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Public Education Network
Silicon Spice, Inc.
Pueblo of Isleta
Sinte Gleska University
Puerto Rico Assistive Technology
Sisseton Wahpeton Community
Project
College
QUALCOMM
Si Tanka College
Quality Education Data
Sitting Bull College
Qwest Communications
SkyBridge LP
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition
Software And Information Industry
Red Hat, Inc.
Association
Refugee Women's Network, Inc.
Southeast Asian Community Center
Renaissance Neighborhood
Southeast Community Cultural
Opportunity Center
Center, Inc.
Rehabilitation Engineering &
Southern Illinois Collegiate Common
Assistive Technology Society of
Market
North America (RESNA)
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic
Retsel Media
Institute
RhythmNetworks
SpeakOut.com
Rhythms Netconnections, Inc.
St. John Learning Center
RMCI
Stone Child College
Salish Kootenai College
Stout Solutions
San Diego Regional Technology
Street Tech
Alliance
Sun Microsystems
San Diego Urban League
Systemic Research
San Francisco Community Clinic
Tacoma Neighborhood Networks
Consortium
Center
Santa Clara University School of Law
Tate Center for Technology and
Saragrams
School Reform
Save Our Seed
TechCorps
SBC Foundation
TechCorps Wisconsin
SciCentral.com
Technology Access Foundation
Seattle Community Networks Association
Technology Integration Solutions (TIS)
Seek Ye First Associates & Ministry
Tequity
Seldin Company
Terra-Genesis Housing
Self-Help for Hard of Hearing People
Texas Instruments Corporation
(SHHH)
Theodore Myles Publishing, Inc.
SeniorNet
ThreeDimensions.Net
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
THE NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
APRIL 4, 2000
Tido Tech International
United States Internet Industry
Tomas Rivera Policy Institute
Association
Trace R&D Center
United Tribes Technical College
Training Solutions, Inc.
United Way of America
Troy Gruppe
University of Maryland
Turtle Mountain Community College
University of Missouri, St. Louis
United Cerebral Palsy Associations
University of North Carolina
United Cerebral Palsy of East Central
University of Washington
Illinois
University Systems of Maryland
United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern
Urban Cyberspace Company
Connecticut
Urban League of Greater Cincinnati
United Cerebral Palsy of Metropolitan
US Internet Industry Association
Detroit
VG Enterprises
United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan
Virginia High-Tech Partnership
United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile
Washington State Neighborhood
United Cerebral Palsy of Northern
Networks Consortium
Maine
Washoe Tribe of Nevada and
United Cerebral Palsy of Pennsylvania
California
United Cerebral Palsy of the Capital
Westchester Bay Consulting
Area
White Earth Tribal and Community
United Cerebral Palsy of the Golden
College
Gate
Whitman Center for Public Service/
United Cerebral Palsy of the Mid-South
University of West Florida
United Cerebral Palsy of Western NY
Windsor Court Apartments
United Methodist Church,
Women In New Recovery (WINR)
Washington
Worldgate Communications, Inc.
United Negro College Fund
Y2K Computer Solutions
United South End Settlements
Yahoo!
United States Hispanic Chamber of
Youth Service America
Commerce
Youth Vote 2000
ZapMe!
DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION ONLY
January 5, 2000
Creation of a New Program for Increasing Home Access to the Internet
Introduction
The extraordinary growth of the Internet is rapidly changing the way Americans live, work, and
communicate. These networks are swiftly making the dream of having "information at your
fingertips" a reality. Those Americans with access to the Internet have an advantage in today's
information-based economy than those without. The Internet is rich with educational content,
with health information, and with news, government and community information. In addition,
many Americans now take advantage of the many transactional services now available on the
Net, including online shopping and banking, travel reservations, and license renewals. The
growth of the Internet has proven to be the engines of the 21st century economy:
While the Internet is bringing benefits to an increasing number of Americans, research shows
that many are being left behind. NTIA's series of Falling Through the Net reports have
documented a significant and persisting gap in access to the Internet along the lines of income,
education level, and geography. The most recent report in this series, Falling Through the Net:
Defining the Digital Divide, published in July, 1999, showed that:
households with incomes of $75,000 and higher are more than twenty times more
likely to have access to the Internet than those at the lowest income levels, and
more than nine times as likely to have a computer at home;
Whites are more likely to have access to the Internet from home than Blacks or
Hispanics have from any location. Black and Hispanic households are
approximately one-third as likely to have home Internet access as households of
Asian/Pacific Islander descent, and roughly two-fifths as likely as White
households; and
regardless of income level, Americans living in rural areas are lagging behind in
Internet access. Indeed, at the lowest income levels, those in urban areas are more
than twice as likely to have Internet access than those earning the same income in
rural areas.
The report also showed that for many groups, the digital divide has widened as the information
"haves" outpace the "have nots" in gaining access to electronic resources. The following gaps
with regard to home Internet access are representative:
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the gaps between White and Hispanic households, and between White and Black
households, are now more than six percentage points larger than they were in
1994; and
the digital divides based on education and income level have also increased in the
last year alone. Between 1997 and 1998, the divide between those at the highest
and lowest education levels increased 25 percent, and the divide between those at
the highest and lowest income levels grew 29 percent.
Kids and Media at the New Millennium, a recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation,
showed that for children, the digital divide is not in the schools, but in homes. Their study
revealed that:
while the percentage of schoolchildren that had access to computers at school was
comparable for children from both low-, middle-, and high-income families,
schoolchildren from high-income families were twice as likely as children from
low-income families to have access to computers in their homes; and
white children were roughly twice as likely to live in homes with Internet access
than were Black or Hispanic children.
The goal of the Home Access to the Internet program would be to help close the digital divide by
providing targeted investments to bring these at-risk populations online. NTIA would build on
its experience in supporting information infrastructure in low-income communities (through the
Technology Opportunities Program, formerly known as the Telecommunications and Information
Infrastructure Assistance Program) and in documenting and analyzing the digital divide (through
the Falling Through the Net series).
Funding Vehicle
There are two approaches to implement this program. The first approach is to set up a
not-for-profit corporation supported by private sector and other stakeholders. NTIA could
oversee this corporation, which would be responsible for defining minimum technical standards
for participation in the program, recruiting corporate sponsors and content partners, raising
awareness, collecting and disseminating "best practices" that emerge, and sponsoring research.
A concern with this approach is the legality of creating a new corporation. The FCC's creation
of the Schools and Libraries Corporation and the Rural Health Care Corporation raised this legal
issue. The General Accounting Office (GAO) testified before Congress that the FCC did not
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January 5, 2000
have the statutory authority to create the corporations.¹ The GAO cited the Government
Corporation Control Act, which requires that agencies have specific legislative authority in order
to "establish or acquire" a corporation to act as a government agency. Unless specifically
authorized legislatively by Congress, NTIA would not have the authority to create a new
corporation. The creation of a not-for-profit corporation to administer the E-rate program also
encountered political difficulties, as the program was attacked by members of Congress for a
variety of reasons, including the salaries of the corporations' top officers and alleged
inefficiencies. Seeking the authority from Congress to create a new corporation for home access
may prove problematic and may open to the door to legislative attempts to attack the schools and
libraries program.
A second approach is to create a matching grant program within NTIA that would fund locally-
driven solutions. NTIA currently operates two competitive grant programs, the Public
Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) and the Technology Opportunities Program
(TOP, formerly the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program, or
TIIAP). PTFP is authorized by Section 392 of the Communications Act. TIIAP was created in
fiscal year 1994 by Congressional appropriation based upon the authority in Section 392. In fact,
each annual appropriation for TOP cites Section 392 as the authorization for TOP. The grant
making authority given NTIA by Section 392 is sufficiently broad that it could be used to
authorize new grants to increase home access to the Internet. This approach would obviate the
need for Congressional authority beyond the requirement for appropriated funds and attendant
appropriations language and thus offer greater potential for starting the program in fiscal year
2001.
In addition to the legal authority to create a new grant program, NTIA has the infrastructure and
the institutional knowledge to start up a program designed to create increased home access to the
Internet. As manager of two competitive grant programs, NTIA currently awards and monitors
hundreds of millions of dollars in federal investments. Moreover, NTIA's TOP program has
significant experience with the very topic that would be the subject of the new program. In 1994,
for example, TOP (then TIIAP) funded the Making Healthy MUSIC project in Newark, New
Jersey. This project created a community network with access points in a public school and in
the homes of 30 community "captains." The project demonstrated the value of home access and
led to a number of positive outcomes, including increased school attendance. The project also
demonstrated the importance of intensive training and local content in encouraging and
1 "FCC Lacked Authority to Create Corporations to Administer Universal Service Programs," testimony of
Robert P. Murphy, General Counsel of the General Accounting Office, before the Subcommittee on
Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection, Committee on Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives,
March 31, 1998.
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sustaining the use of computers in the home.² TOP also funded a project in School District 196
in Rosemount, Minnesota, which provided low-income 4th graders with laptops. Like the
Making Healthy MUSIC project, this project emphasized training and community connections.
Preliminary evaluations of this project showed that students reported increased self-esteem and
motivation and improved academic performance.³ TOP continues to explore the issues
surrounding home access for underserved populations with new grants announced in October,
1999:
The City of Oakland, California, in partnership with IBM, will install thin client
terminals in the homes of public housing residents, who will work to meet
educational challenges and learn specific computer skills to improve their
employability;
Community Preservation and Development Corporation, in Washington, D.C., in
partnership with Microsoft Corp., will be providing a low-income community
housing project with networked computers to deliver broadband Internet
connectivity and affect employability and educational performance; and
The Shepherd Center, in Atlanta, Georgia, in partnership with Mindspring
Enterprises, will be using a high-speed Internet testbed to provide rehabilitation
services to patients and support for their family members and caregivers in their
homes.
On one level, TOP's experience has provided valuable lessons - what works - in how to
implement these projects in local communities. On another level, TOP has learned about the
many grant making issues (such as equipment ownership and privacy, security, and acceptable
use policies) associated with support for individual homes.
For the reasons above, we recommend that the program be designed as a grants program that
would be managed directly by NTIA. The rest of this paper will outline the details of the
program.
2 For more information on the Making Healthy MUSIC project, see Networks for People: TIIAP at Work,
National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 1997.
3
For more information on Independent School District 196's project, see How Access Benefits Children:
Connecting Our Kids to a World of Information, National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
1999.
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Overall Approach
The new program would build on the lessons of NTIA's highly successful Technology
Opportunities Program (TOP). Through six years of supporting and evaluating projects that
demonstrate innovative information technology applications in low-income communities, TOP
has built an extensive base of knowledge on issues, challenges, and effective solutions. In
particular, the Home Access to the Internet program would be designed around two of the
hallmarks of the TOP program: 1) locally-driven solutions; and 2) public-private partnerships.
NTIA's experience has shown that the most creative, innovative, and effective solutions come
not from the federal government, but from local communities. Therefore, NTIA would not
dictate acceptable solutions for providing Home Access to the Internet. Instead, NTIA would
challenge low-income communities to devise solutions that best reflect their circumstances and
best meet their needs. NTIA's experience has also shown that strong partnerships and broad
community support are key ingredients in sustaining information technology projects. The Home
Access to the Internet program would encourage community-based partnerships and partnerships
among local organizations, academia, and private industry. In order to demonstrate the local and
private sector commitments, applicants would be required to provide matching funds.
NTIA's experience in managing TOP and in analyzing digital divide data has show that bridging
the digital divide requires solutions for providing Internet access, for giving people the skills to
use the Internet, and by providing meaningful, relevant applications for people to use. The Home
Access to the Internet program would provide three types of grants.
1) Planning grants, which would give targeted communities the opportunity to explore
different options for bringing low-cost Internet access to low-income individuals and
families.
2) Access grants, which support communities' efforts to provide both low-cost Internet
access and training on computer, Internet, and information literacy skills to low-income
individuals and families.
3) Sustainable Applications grants, which would give communities the resources to
deploy proven models of valuable web-based applications. These applications would
provide low-income individuals and families access in their homes to Web-based services
such as education, job training and job placement, telehealth, community networking and
government services.
NTIA would use the data from the Falling Through the Net survey to target the program's
resources and as an ongoing performance measurement tool. First, survey data would identify
the communities and populations most in need of assistance, initially and on an ongoing basis.
Second, NTIA would monitor annual survey data to gauge the effectiveness of the program in
improving home access in targeted communities and populations.
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Program Eligibility
The program would provide grants to eligible organizations that would be serving eligible
individuals, families, and communities. Eligible organizations would include state, local, and
tribal governments, colleges and universities, and nonprofit organizations. NTIA's experience
has shown that the roles of these organizations varies from community to community. For
example, in some communities, local governments are most effective in meeting technology
needs, whereas in others, local community colleges play leadership roles. Opening eligibility to
this range of organizations would give communities the necessary flexibility to devise the
solutions that best suit them.
For planning and sustainable applications grants, the unit of eligibility would have to be
determined by the geographic area served. In some rural areas, a project may span several
counties, whereas in a city, a project may focus on a single neighborhood. One approach would
be to have the program define eligibility in terms of overall community demographics in terms of
poverty (e.g. percentage of households with incomes below the poverty level), geography (e.g.
population per square mile), education level (e.g. percentage of adults that have completed high
school), and race (e.g. percentage of residents who are Black, Hispanic, or Native American⁴).
For access grants, the unit of eligibility would be the household. NTIA would use standard
government indicators of poverty, which may vary depending on the availability of funds. One
approach would be to set the mark based on income level in terms of percentage of the poverty
level and the percentage would slide up or down based on the total amount of funds available to
award. This percentage could also be varied according to the population, since Falling Through
the Net has shown that income alone does not account for the disparities in access. For example,
the percentage could be set higher for rural populations or minority populations, although such
variations would not be without controversy. Practical considerations may also necessitate a
simpler approach, such as tying household eligibility for this program to eligibility for certain
federal entitlement programs.
One of the trade-offs in allowing for significant local flexibility is the concern that some local
solutions may involve unacceptable elements. Therefore, NTIA would have to impose some
requirements related to acceptable use of the Internet. Award conditions could require that
grantees develop and enforce acceptable use agreements with all individuals receiving support
under the program. The use agreements would be developed locally (although NTIA could
provide sample agreements) and would address issues such as access to inappropriate materials,
4 The 1999 Falling Through the Net report showed that Blacks and Hispanics have less Internet access than
Whites, even when controlling for income. Although the study did address Native American access, it is widely
understood that Native Americans have significantly less access to the Internet than Whites.
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inappropriate conduct, and continued use of any equipment or services.⁵ In addition to
acceptable use, NTIA would also have to develop policies that would place limits on the types of
advertising that could be used to reflect corporate sponsorship (e.g. limiting ads that promoted
alcohol or tobacco use). As is the case with TOP grants, Home Access grantees would also have
to develop policies that safeguard the privacy of the individuals involved in the program.
In the initial year of the program, NTIA could develop these policies and issue them through a
notice in the Federal Register. After the first year, these policies could be vetted through a
formal rulemaking process that would result in formal program regulations.⁶
Criteria for Support
NTIA would base its awards on the eligibility of the organization, the eligibility of the targeted
individuals, families, and communities, the availability of funds, and published criteria. The
primary criteria for award could include:
Need. In addition to the question of eligibility, the limit on funds available would dictate
the need to set priorities based on need. These priorities would be dictated by relative
levels of poverty, minority representation, and education level of the targeted populations.
Community Involvement. NTIA would require partnerships of community-based
organizations. In addition, this criterion would examine the degree to which a grant
applicant has involved community stakeholders (including potential end users) in a needs
assessment and planning process.
Private Sector Involvement. NTIA would require involvement and support of private
sector corporations. In particular, NTIA would require hard commitments of matching
funds or in-kind contributions such as equipment, training, or communications services.
NTIA could also explore ways to hold private sector companies accountable to their
commitments.
Feasibility. NTIA would examine the soundness of the technical plans and the likely
effectiveness of the approach. Of particular importance would be the comprehensiveness
of the approach - whether the applicant has provided the access, training, end user
5 NTIA currently requires all TOP grant recipients to provide acceptable use plans.
6 NTIA's TOP program does not have formal regulations. Its rules are issued annually through a Notice of
Availability of Funds.
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January 5, 2000
support, and other services necessary to make Internet use a meaningful experience to the
targeted end users.
Performance Measures
NTIA would measure the effectiveness of the program on two levels - in the community and at
the national level. First, NTIA would develop standard metrics for each access grant. Grant
recipients would be required to report regularly on such items as the number of households
connected to the Internet (and the demographics of those households), the number of those
households that have remained connected and active, and the number of people trained. In
addition, NTIA could require surveys that profile how individuals and families receiving
assistance are using the Internet (e.g. for education, home banking, health information). These
data would be aggregated at the program level and would give NTIA information on the degree
to which the program is reaching the targeted populations for the purposes intended.
At the national level, NTIA would use the annual Falling Through the Net survey to examine the
digital divide as a whole. The survey data would indicate the extent to which the program is
helping to close the gaps based on income, education level, race, and geography. In particular,
NTIA could examine the growth rates among targeted populations and look for accelerations in
those rates. In addition to providing NTIA with a yardstick for measuring the program's overall
effectiveness, the data would assist NTIA in identifying the communities to be targeted.
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The President's New Markets Trip:
From Digital Divide to Digital Opportunity
April 17 - 18, 2000
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(East Palo Alto, California)
For Immediate Release
April 17, 2000
THE IMPORTANCE OF BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND
CREATING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS
April 17, 2000
Access to computers and the Internet and the ability to effectively use this technology are
becoming increasingly important for full participation in America's economic, political, and
social life. In recent years, access to computers and the Internet has exploded. Unfortunately,
there is strong evidence of a "digital divide" -- a gap between those individual and
communities that have access to these Information Age tools and those who don't.
Better-educated Americans are more likely to be connected.
69 percent of households with a bachelor's degree or higher have computers, compared to 16
percent of those households that have not completed high school (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling
Through The Net," July 1999).
45 percent of households with a bachelor's degree or more have Internet access in the home,
compared to 14 percent with no only a high school diploma or GED (Dept. of Commerce,
"Falling Through The Net," July 1999).
The divide between high and low-income Americans is significant.
80 percent of households with an income of $75,000 or above have computers, compared to 16
percent of households earning $10,000 - $15,000 (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling Through The
Net," July 1999).
60 percent of households with incomes of $75,000 or above have Internet access, compared to
12 percent earning $20,000 $25,000 (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling Through The Net," July
1999).
Whites are more likely to be connected than African-Americans and Hispanics.
47 percent of white households have computers, compared to 23 percent of African-American
and 26 percent of Hispanic households (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling Through The Net," July
1999).
53 percent of white, two-parent households with children earning more than $35,000 have
Internet access in the home, compared to 31 percent of African-American and Hispanic
households (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling Through The Net," July 1999).
However, there is virtually no gap in computer ownership between white and African-
American households earning more than $75,000. (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling Through The
Net," July 1999).
Wealthier schools are more likely to be connected to the Internet than poorer schools
In wealthy schools (less than 11 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price school
lunch), 74 percent of classrooms are connected to the Internet, compared to 39 percent for the
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poorest schools (71 percent or more of students eligible for free or reduced-price school lunch)
(Fall 1999 data, Dept of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Internet Access
in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms," February 2000).
People with disabilities are less likely to have access to technology.
11 percent of people aged 15 and above with a disability have access to the Internet at home,
compared to 31 percent of people without disabilities (Current Population Survey, 1998
Computer and Internet Use Supplement, as cited in H. Stephen Kaye, Computer and Internet
Use Among People with Disabilities, Disability Statistics Center, March 2000).
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President Clinton's New Markets Trip:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/New_Markets-0004/20000418-1.html
The President's New Markets Trip:
From Digital Divide to Digital Opportunity
April 17 - 18, 2000
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(East Palo Alto, California)
For Immediate Release
April 18, 2000
TODAY, PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL CONTINUE HIS DIGITAL DIVIDE NEW MARKETS
TRIP AT THE COMDEX CONFERENCE BY CHALLENGING THE TECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRY TO BRING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY TO ALL COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES AND
YOUTH. President Clinton will address the technology industry's influential COMDEX Conference,
to personally challenge high-tech companies to take a leadership role in bridging the digital divide.
The President will be joined by students and mentors from Street-Level Youth Media, a community
technology center that serves urban youth in Chicago. In addition, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
from Illinois, Fredric Rosen, and Chairman of ZD Events and Jason Chudnofsky, CEO of ZD events
will accompany the President. The President and students from Street-Level Youth Media will also
tour the Wireless Pavilion on the floor of Comdex, where the President will see a demonstration of
cutting-edge "wireless Web" technology. The educational applications of this technology will allow
parents and students to access Web-based information on their school anytime, anywhere, using only
a phone.
President Clinton Will Call for Specific Actions by Industry Leaders. In his remarks to COMDEX
attendees, the President will challenge the leaders of the high-tech industry to redouble their efforts to
bridge the digital divide. The President will ask industry leaders to:
Endorse His National Call To Action To Create Digital Opportunity: Two weeks ago,
President Clinton issued a National Call To Action at an event at the White House. Already,
over 400 leading high-tech companies and community organizations have endorsed this
pledge.
Work With Local Schools To Ensure That All Children Are Technologically Literate:
Companies can help reach this goal by donating computers, providing training to teachers so
that they are as comfortable with a computers as they are with a chalkboard, supporting the
development of high-quality educational software and online resources, and encouraging their
employees to provide the technical assistance that schools need.
Expand Internships To Expand High-Tech Career Opportunities for Underserved Youth: The
President will urge companies to expand internships, especially for young women, minorities,
people with disabilities and young people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Lead Grassroots Efforts In Local Communities to Bridge the Digital Divide: The President will
challenge companies to forge partnerships between business, government and community
groups to create comprehensive strategies for bridging the digital divide in schools,
community centers and homes.
President Clinton Will Announce New Public and Private Sector Commitments to Bridge the Digital
Divide:
Over 200 new Community Technology Centers: The Department of Education will announce a
combined public and private investment of $86 million over 3 years ($44 million in federal
funding and $42 million in state, local, and corporate investments) to create 214 new
community technology centers and expand 136 centers. President Clinton is proposing to
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/New_Markets-0004/20000418-1.html
increase funding for Community Technology Centers to $100 million in the FY2001 budget.
Doubling of Neighborhood Network Centers to 1,000 Across the Country. The Department of
Housing and Urban Development will announce today that it will expand the number of
Neighborhood Network Centers to 1,000 over the next two years. These centers are
computer-training facilities located in or near HUD-assisted housing developments that offer
computer access, staff assistance and a range of training resources to housing residents.
Preparing Every New Teacher to Use Technology in the Classroom: The deans of over 200
colleges of education will make a commitment to President Clinton to ensure that new teachers
are prepared to use technology in the classroom. Currently, many schools of education do not
prepare their graduates to integrate technology into the curriculum. The President's FY2001
budget proposes $150 million to work with schools of education to help them reach this goal ⑉
up from $75 million in FY2000.
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President Clinton's New Markets Tr... "Get Connected" in East Paldtdt6www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/New_Markets-0004/20000417-6.htm
The President's New Markets Trip:
From Digital Divide to Digital Opportunity
April 17 - 18, 2000
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(East Palo Alto, California)
For Immediate Release
April 17, 2000
THE PRESIDENT'S NEW MARKETS TRIP:
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
Motivating Young People to "Get Connected" in East Palo Alto
April 17, 2000
TODAY, PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL KICKOFF HIS DIGITAL DIVIDE NEW MARKETS
TRIP IN EAST PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF ALL
YOUNG PEOPLE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE MOTIVATION TO "GET
CONNECTED." President Clinton will kick off his third New Markets trip in East Palo Alto, CA,
where he will hold a discussion with Reverend Jesse Jackson, New York Liberty star Rebecca Lobo,
high-tech CEOs, community leaders and young people from East Palo Alto. His discussion will
center on motivating and inspiring all young people to "get connected" and become technologically
literate as a means to increasing their future economic potential. The President will emphasize how
critical information technology skills are to competing for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the 21st
century. The discussion will be webcast on the Internet, giving young people across the country an
opportunity to email questions to the President.
President Clinton will announce several private and public sector commitments that expand "digital
opportunity" for underserved communities, families and youth. He will then participate in a
roundtable with corporate and community leaders, focusing on the importance of closing the digital
divide.
Today's visit comes two weeks after the President issued his "National Call to Action" with two major
national goals:
Provide 21st Century Learning Tools for Every Child in Every School. To reach this goal,
America needs to connect every classroom to the Internet, provide all students with access to
computers, train teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum, and provide high quality
educational content and software.
Create Digital Opportunity for Every American Family and Community. For all families and
communities to benefit from the New Economy, we must ensure that all Americans have
access to technology and the skills needed to use it. We must work to make home access to the
Internet universal, bring technology to every neighborhood, empower all citizens with IT
skills, and motivate young people to "get connected."
EAST PALO ALTO HAS NOT FULLY SHARED IN THE NATION'S DIGITAL REVOLUTION
Although it is in the heart of Silicon Valley, East Palo Alto has not shared equally in the region's
phenomenal economic expansion. While progress has been made, the city still faces significant
economic challenges.
High Poverty Over 80 percent of local K-8 students are eligible for the free lunch program
(CA Dept. of Finance, 2000).
Lack of Education Technology East Palo Alto schools have a 28 to 1 student/ computer ratio,
limiting the ability of teachers to use technology in the classroom. (CA Dept. of Ed., 1999).
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PRESIDENT CLINTON, AND CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WILL
ANNOUNCE OVER $100 MILLION IN COMMITMENTS TO BRING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
TO YOUTH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES:
The Kaiser Family Foundation Commits to a Media Campaign to Motivate Young People to
"Get Connected." Magic Johnson and Rebecca Lobo Will Star in the Public Service
Announcements that Will Air on 13 Major Networks. BET Will Also Produce and Air PSAs to
Encourage African-Americans to Participate in Digital Economy.
HP Announces $15 Million Partnership to Expand Digital Opportunity in 3 Communities,
Including East Palo Alto
Gateway Launches Program for Technology Training for 75,000 Teachers -- Including All
East Palo Alto Teachers
QUALCOMM Commits $25 Million to Bridge the Digital Divide in San Diego -- Including $7
Million for Math and Science Education
PowerUP Commits to Expanding to 250 Technology Centers for Underserved Youth Across
the Country - With Major Support from AOL (100,000 Free Accounts Valued at $26 Million
Annually)
Novell Will Donate $20 Million in Software to Non-Profits Devoted to Underserved Hispanic
Populations
Cisco Systems Pledges $1.4 Million to Develop 10 Pilot Networking Academies
Applied Materials Pledges $1 Million for Digital Divide Projects - Including a Partnership
with the Rainbow/ PUSH Coalition to Create a High-Tech Job Training Center in East Palo
Alto
AT&T Pledges $1.2 Million to The Academy Of Information Technology
PeoplePC Will Provide 300 Computers and Internet Access to Schools in the East Palo Alto
Community
govWorks's Community Commitment Program Will Donate Computer Equipment to
Communities it Serves
A COMPLETE LIST OF PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR'S INITIATIVES
TO BRING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY TO YOUTH, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
The Kaiser Family Foundation And Black Entertainment Television Announce Public Service
Campaigns to Motivate Young People to Participate in Technology. President Clinton will highlight
the efforts of the Kaiser Family Foundation and Black Entertainment Television (BET) to help
motivate young people to "get connected" and raise public a wareness about the digital divide. The
Kaiser Family Foundation will produce public service announcements (PSA) featuring celebrities and
role models who will highlight their connections to technology and encourage young people to
recognize ways that becoming technologically literate can open doors to them. Magic Johnson and
Rebecca Lobo are the first celebrities to agree to appear in the PSA campaign. NBC, ABC, CBS,
BET, MTV, Fox, TBS, TNT, UPN, The Cartoon Network, Odyssey, The Disney Channel, Univision
and the WB will all air the PSAs. The National Association of Broadcasters will distribute the PSAs
to their 1,000 members. The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Library
Association and the Digital Divide Network have also agreed to support this effort.
BET will produce and air the PSAs on the BET Cable Network, encouraging African- Americans to
use the Internet and to participate in the digital economy. The PSA's will feature major
African-American celebrities from the music, sports and film industries explaining the importance of
African-American participation in the digital economy, as consumers, employees and entrepreneurs.
In addition, BET.com and BET Holdings will sponsor an online celebrity auction to benefit efforts to
address the digital divide.
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Hewlett-Packard Announces a $15 Million Digital Village Initiative -- New Program To Start
in East Palo Alto. HP will invest up to $15 million in products, partnerships and people in 3
underserved communities -- starting in East Palo Alto. HP's comprehensive approach will
focus on programs that serve adults and kids at home, in school, and through community
centers:
HP @ Home will help families learn and grow together;
HP @ School will emphasize enhancing K-12 education through the use of technology;
and
HP @ Neighborhood Community Centers will help adults and kids to learn,
communicate and explore using the Internet, both before and after school.
Gateway Launches Teach America! and Commits to Training 75,000 Teachers -- Including All
East Palo Alto Teachers. Gateway has pledged to provide 75,000 teachers with technology
literacy training under the Teach America! program. This effort will provide teachers with
hundreds of courses to increase their use of the Internet and multimedia applications. All East
Palo Alto's teachers will be trained in the Teach America! program on ways to effectively
utilize technology in the classroom. The Waitt Family Foundation has previously made a
major donation of 50,000 Gateway computers for use at PowerUP sites across the country.
QUALCOMM Commits $25 Million to Bridge the Digital Divide in San Diego -- Including $7
Million for K-12 Math and Science Education. QUALCOMM will help to close the digital
divide with a $25 million commitment -- including $7 million to improve math and science
education in San Diego schools through investments in educational technology and enhancing
the math and science instructional skills of K-12 teachers.
PowerUP Unveils 250 New Sites in 43 States Across the Country. The PowerUP program will
announce a major expansion of its successful program to give underserved youth access to
technology and guidance on how to use it. PowerUP will have 250 - up from 19 -- new,
fully-equipped and staffed sites by the end of 2000. PowerUP is comprised of more than a
dozen non-profit organizations, major corporations and federal agencies. The federal
AmeriCorps program is a strong supporter of the PowerUP effort and has assigned 400
members to work in PowerUP sites. Partners that have contributed to the launch of the first
250 sites include America Online, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems,
America's Promise, the Steve Case Foundation, the Waitt Family Foundation,
Americorps Vista, Boys & Girls Clubs, Communities in Schools, National Urban League,
Save the Children, YMCA and the Department of Education.
American Online Pledges 100,000 Free AOL Accounts Valued at $26 Million Annually. The
expansion of the PowerUP is made possible because of commitments from a number of
organizations -- including a pledge by AOL to provide 100,000 AOL accounts to PowerUP
sites, valued at $26 million annually.
Novell Will Donate $20 Million in Software to Non-Profits Devoted to Helping Underserved
Hispanic Populations. Novell is expanding its software donation program to include
non-profits that help underserved Hispanic populations. The donated software has a retail
value of $20 million. Currently, many non-profits are lagging behind the private sector in their
use of the Internet and information technology.
Cisco Systems, HUD and Communities In Schools Announce 10 Pilot Networking Academies.
Cisco Systems, Inc., the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Communities In
Schools will announce a program valued at $1.4 million to establish 10 Cisco Networking
Academies in underserved communities. The Cisco Networking Academy Program teaches
students to design, build, and maintain computer networks through a 280-hour web-based
curriculum and hands-on laboratory exercises on real networks. HUD, Cisco and Communities
In Schools are also establishing internship opportunities so that Academy students graduate not
only with a marketable skill, but also with on-the-job experience. Academy graduates who
pass the industry standard Cisco Certified Network Associate exam are immediately eligible
for information technology jobs with high starting salaries.
Applied Materials Pledges $1 Million and Partners with the Rainbow/ PUSH Coalition to
Create a High-Tech Job Training Center. Applied Materials has pledged $1 million to help
provide "information for everyone," starting with the development of a high-tech job training
center for the people of East Palo Alto, in partnership with local government and Reverend
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Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) Will Pledge $1 Million to
Reduce the Digital Divide in Silicon Valley. SEMI, the global trade association for the
semiconductor equipment and materials industry, is pledging $1 million dollars to five
workforce development programs focused on reducing the digital divide. The organizations
that will receive $200,000 each are: Workforce Silicon Valley; Industry and Technology
Outreach Foundation; Jose A. Valdez Math Institute; and the Charitech Civic Venture Fund.
AT&T Announces a $1.2 Million Commitment to the Academy of Information Technology.
AT&T will support the Academy of Information Technology with $1.2 million to develop a
high school curriculum that will prepare students for jobs in the IT industry. In addition,
AT&T will commit $250,000 to develop a national forum series for underserved communities
to engage high school students and policymakers in a dialogue about economic opportunities,
education, job skills, and leadership for the 21st century.
PeoplePC Commits to Providing Multimedia Computers to the East Palo Alto Community.
The President will announce a pledge by PeoplePC to provide the schools of East Palo Alto
with 300 new brand name computer systems and unlimited Internet access. Currently, the
elementary schools in East Palo Alto have a student-to-computer ratio of 28-to-1, making it
difficult for computers and the Internet to be used as powerful tools for learning in the
classroom.
govWorks, Inc., Announces the Community Commitment Program to Reinvest in
Communities Around the Country. govWorks, Inc. will announce the launch of its Community
Commitment program to help communities across the country address the digital divide.
govWorks will reinvest a portion of its revenue in local communities to purchase computers,
high-speed Internet access and technology training, which will be donated to libraries, public
schools, and community centers. It will launch a pilot of its Community Commitment program
this week by donating computers and a year's supply of high speed Internet access to the
Thomas Creighton Elementary School in Philadelphia, PA and to Nora Navara Public Library
in New Orleans, LA. Additionally, govWorks plans to provide the school and library staff with
computer and Internet training. govWorks expects to roll out its Community Commitment
program in 50 cities by the end of the year.
NetDay and TechNet "One-Stop-Shop" for Educational Technology. The President will
announce a commitment from NetDay and TechNet to develop an Internet-based
"one-stop-shop" of information on educational technology, including technology planning,
hardware, educational software, professional development, and sources of financial support.
The database will be designed for principals, teachers, parent support groups, and community
members.
The ThinkQuest? Program Bridges the Digital Divide by Reaching Out to Underserved
Students. ThinkQuest, a non-profit Internet-based education initiative, will announce a
partnership with the Department of Education's TRIO and Community Technology Center
programs, HUD's Neighborhood Network centers and ABILITY Awareness to bring
ThinkQuest's award-winning program to the large number of students in underserved schools
and communities as well as to students with disabilities. The ThinkQuest program guidelines
promote teams that include members from diverse levels of computer competency who come
from various cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. To date more than 50,000
students and educators from 100 countries have participated in ThinkQuest.
The Department of Education Announces Technology Innovation Challenge Grants. The
Department of Education will announce three new Technology Innovation Challenge Grants
(TICG) totaling $24 million over 5 years. In-kind contributions to these Technology
Innovation projects will total more than $67 million. This program serves as a catalyst for
positive change for schools. It supports educators, industry partners, communities, parents, and
others who are using new technologies to help bring high quality education to every classroom
and neighborhood. Effective use of new technologies in these communities will contribute to
improved student achievement in reading, writing, science, mathematics, history, the arts and
other disciplines. Each project will support training for teachers and promote greater parent
and community involvement in education.
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The National Endowment for the Humanities Announces $1.45 Million In Schools for a New
Millennium Projects. The National Endowment for the Humanities announces $1.45 million in
Schools for a New Millennium projects designed to train humanities teachers to integrate
technology tools into their classroom teaching. Schools for a New Millennium projects include
teachers, university scholars, technology experts, local museums and libraries, parents and
school administrators committed to bringing digital opportunity into the classroom.
IN EAST PALO ALTO PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL BE JOINED BY HIGH-TECH AND
COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE
The President will participate in a roundtable discussion with CEOs from the technology industry and
leaders of the civil rights community and non-profit organizations. The President will lead a
discussion on concrete steps that industry, community organizations and government can take to
bridge the digital divide. Participants in the roundtable will include:
Dr. Drew Altman, President & CEO, The Henry J. Kaiser Foundation
Henry Cisneros, President & COO, Univision Communications
Darien Dash, Chairman & CEO, DME Interactive Holdings, Inc.
John Doerr, Kleiner Perkins
Magda Escobar, Executive Director, Plugged In
Carly Fiorina, CEO, Hewlett Packard
Rae Grad, CEO, Power Up
Nick Grouf, CEO, People PC
Rosalind Hudnell, Vice President, Intel Corporation
Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow PUSH
Yusef Jackson, Chairman, One Net Now
Irwin Jacobs, Chairman & CEO, QUALCOMM
Carlton Jenkins, CEO, One Net Now
Robert Johnson, Chairman & CEO, Black Entertainment Television
Roberta Katz, President & CEO, TechNet
Robert Knowling, CEO, Covad Communications
Jim Martin, Senior Vice President, America Online
Kenneth McNeely, Vice President, AT&T
James Morgan, Chairman & CEO, Applied Materials
John Morgridge, Chairman of the Board, Cisco Systems
David Robino, Vice Chairman, Gateway
Eric Schmidt, Chairman & CEO, Novell
Srinija Srinivasan, Vice President & Editor-in-Chief, Yahoo!
Kaleil Tuzman, CEO, GovWorks
Raul Yzaguirre, President, National Council of La Raza
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The President's New Markets Trip:
From Digital Divide to Digital Opportunity
April 17 - 18, 2000
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(East Palo Alto, California)
For Immediate Release
April 17, 2000
BACKGROUND ON THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND EAST PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
APRIL 17, 2000
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: Access to computers and the Internet and the ability to use this technology
effectively are becoming increasingly important for full participation in America's economic, political
and social life. Unfortunately, unequal access to technology and high-tech skills by income,
educational level, race, and geography could deepen and reinforce the divisions that exist within
American society.
The Gap Between High and Low Income Americans is Increasing. 80 percent of households with an
income of $75,000 or above have computers, compared to 16 percent of households earning $10,000
- $15,000 (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling Through The Net," July 1999).
Better Educated Americans More Likely to Be Connected. 69 percent of households with a bachelor's
degree or higher have computers, compared to 16 percent of those households that have not
completed high (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling Through The Net," July 1999). Whites More Likely to
be Connected than African-Americans and Hispanics. 47 percent of white households have
computers, compared to 23 percent of African-American households and 26 percent of Hispanic
households (Dept. of Commerce, "Falling Through The Net," July 1999).
SILICON VALLEY: In the past 20 years, Silicon Valley has played a leading role in fostering the
digital revolution that is sweeping the globe. This revolution has led to the productivity gains that
have helped create the longest economic expansion in U.S. history. The Silicon Valley has profited
handsomely from the innovation of its residents; the region has become one of the most prosperous
communities in our nation.
Silicon Valley has created more than 275,000 new jobs since 1992 (CA Employment
Development Dept, 1999).
Median family income has soared to $87,000 per year - the third highest in the country (Dept
of HUD, 2000).
The median price of a house in the Silicon Valley is $410,000, more than twice the median
price in rest of the country (California Real Estate Association, 1999).
EAST PALO ALTO: East Palo Alto has missed out on much of this prosperity. While there has been
progress and the city is working to attract employers, East Palo Alto continues to struggle with a
relatively high poverty rate, the largest high school dropout rate in the Bay Area, and the lowest
property values in San Mateo county (Association of Bay Area Governments, Projections, 1998).
Demographics: With a population that is 53 percent Hispanic, 36 percent African-American,
12 percent white, and 8 percent Asian and Pacific Islander, East Palo Alto celebrates its
diversity (Claritas, 1999). The Hispanic population has grown rapidly in the last 10 years with
Latinos comprising 64 percent of the school-age children (California Dept. of Education,
1999).
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Economic Vitality: The City is engaged in an ambitious redevelopment initiative.
Nevertheless, there is only one large employer in the community, a situation that narrows the
tax base and obliges many residents to make long commutes to work each day. There is no
bank, major supermarket, and other key service-oriented businesses in the city (City of East
Palo Alto, 1999).
Poverty: Over 80 percent of K-8 students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches
(California Dept. of Education, 1999).
Education: There is only one computer for every 28 students in East Palo Alto schools, as
compared to the 1-to-9 ratio for the entire state. Only 60 percent of residents have a high
school diploma or its equivalent (California Dept. of Education, 1999; City of East Palo Alto,
1999).
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The President's New Markets Trip:
From Digital Divide to Digital Opportunity
April 17 - 18, 2000
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Shiprock, New Mexico)
For Immediate Release
April 17, 2000
THE PRESIDENT'S NEW MARKETS TRIP:
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
Highlighting Technology's Economic Opportunity in Shiprock
April 17, 2000
TODAY, PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL VISIT SHIPROCK, NEW MEXICO TO HIGHLIGHT
HOW ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY CAN LEAD TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. President
Clinton will visit Shiprock, NM where he will speak to the Navajo Nation at the local Boys and Girls
Club, which is also a PowerUP site. The President will focus on access to technology as a vehicle for
education and economic development to bring employment opportunities to Native Americans. He
will also emphasize how public and private sector investments can create digital opportunity in
isolated communities. The President will then participate in an Internet video conference at the Diné
Tribal College with students from remote schools within the Navajo Nation. Building on his
successful New Markets trips of 1999, the President will highlight the importance of mobilizing the
high-tech industry to encourage the participation of all Americans in the digital economy.
NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE NOT SHARED IN THE NATION'S DIGITAL REVOLUTION.
While the number of Americans accessing the Internet has grown rapidly in recent years, there
remains a digital divide between information "haves" and "have nots." Native Americans rank far
below the national average in their access to telephones, computers, and the Internet, and thus unable
to access the full range of information resources that are quickly becoming essential for success in the
new economy. For example:
Lack of Telephone Service Only 22.5 percent of Navajo Nation households have home
telephone service as compared to the national average of 94 percent (American Indian Report,
March 2000).
Lack of Education The Navajo Nation high school drop-out rate averages at 20 percent for 9th
graders. Only one quarter of the Navajo adult population has graduated from high school
(Navajo Nation, 1999).
THE PRESIDENT WILL BE JOINED BY HIGH-TECH AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. The
President will be joined by Jeff Arnold, CEO, Healtheon/ WebMD Corporation; Bruce Brooks,
Director of Community Affairs, Microsoft; Michael Chasen, President and Co-Founder, Blackboard,
Inc.; Rev. Jesse Jackson, CEO and Founder, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition; Yusef Jackson,
Co-Chairman, One Net Now; Yvonne Jackson, Senior Vice President, Compaq Computer
Corporation; Robert Johnson, CEO, BET Holdings, Inc.; Dr. John Koehler, President and CEO,
Tachyon, Inc.; Susan Masten, Chairman and President of the National Congress of American Indians;
Steven Rohleder, Managing Partner, Andersen Consulting; Robert Rutherford, President, Native
American Systems; Karen Smith, Executive Director, TechCorps; Raul Yzaguirre, President,
National Council of La Raza; and Rae Grad, CEO of PowerUP.
PRESIDENT CLINTON AND HIGH-TECH LEADERS WILL ANNOUNCE KEY TECHNOLOGY
INITIATIVES TO BRING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TO NATIVE AMERICANS:
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FCC Chairman William Kennard Will Announce Proposals to Increase Telephone Access for
Native American Communities for $1 Per Month Through the Lifeline Program
Microsoft Will Announces a $2.75 Million in New Grants to the American Indian Tribal
College Program
IBM, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the University of Michigan Will Invest $1 Million in
Partnership with Tribal Colleges to Develop a Virtual Library for Tribal Colleges
Compaq, in Partnership with TechCorps, Will Announce a $500,000 Commitment to Serve
Native American and Other Schools Through Online Mentoring
The Corporation For National Service Will Announce $1 Million for the Navajo Leader Corps
Andersen Consulting Will Help Native American Small Business to Use E-Commerce
Tachyon, Inc. Will Provide 500 Navajo Nation Students with Satellite Internet Access
An Over $100,000 Commitment by Native American Systems to Increase Internet Access in
Indian Country
The Native American Digital Divide Taskforce Will Launch with $100,000 From America
Online
Blackboard Inc., Will Commit to Providing Enhanced Educational Tools to Native American
Tribal Colleges
Healtheon/WebMD Will Announce Internet Access to Healthcare Information for Indian
Country
A COMPLETE LIST OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ANNOUCEMENTS OF PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE SECTORS COMMITTMENTS TO BRING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY NATIVE
AMERICANS
FCC Chairman William Kennard Will Announce Proposals to Provide Phone Service for $1
Through the Lifeline Program. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman,
William Kennard, has proposed increasing funding under the Lifeline program so that every
member of a federally recognized Indian tribe who is income eligible can have basic phone
service for as little as $1 per month. The FCC has also proposed an increase in federal
universal service funding to companies willing to serve Native American reservations by
removing the cap on the funding available to carriers that purchase exchanges on reservations
and changing the practice of averaging the cost of serving high-cost reservations with low-cost
areas when calculating support amounts. These critical steps to expand the Lifeline program
will greatly improve Native American communities' access to information and technology
resources.
Microsoft Will Announce $2.75 Million in New Grants to the American Indian Tribal College
Program, Including Diné College. Microsoft will provide eight American Indian Tribal
Colleges with technology and training through its American Indian Tribal College Program,
part of a continuing relationship with the American Indian Science and Technology Education
Consortium. Microsoft will provide these tribal colleges with $2.5 million in software and
$250,000 in technical assistance to ensure an increase in technical skills among students at
tribal colleges. In addition, the program will include the tools necessary for the institutions to
achieve Microsoft Certified Training Facility status.
IBM, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the University of Michigan Will Invest $1 Million in
Partnership Tribal Colleges to Develop a Virtual Library For Tribal Colleges. The President
will announce a unique $1 million partnership between IBM, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation,
the University of Michigan and several tribal colleges to create a "virtual library." The virtual
library homepage will link into a major national database that will catalog electronic books,
magazines, journals and Internet documents from around the world. The virtual library will
have a reference section, a database section, and local exhibitions for the 32 tribal colleges
across the country. There will also be a technical support system which will answer student,
faculty and community members' questions interactively.
Compaq, in Partnership with TechCorps, Will Announce a $500,000 Commitment to Serve
Native American and Other Schools Through Online Mentoring. The President will announce
a $500,000 commitment by Compaq Computer Corporation to partner with TechCorps to
develop, pilot and support the nationwide launch of Techs4Schools, an online mentoring
program that uses the Internet to join teachers with volunteer high-tech experts to advance the
level of technological knowledge and support in our schools. Four Navajo Nation schools
participated in the pilot of Techs4Schools, and following today's launch, Techs4Schools will
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be available to all Navajo Nation Schools and other K-12 schools nationwide.
The Corporation for National Service Will Announce A $1 Million AmeriCorps Grant For the
Navajo Leader Corps. The President will announce a $1 million AmeriCorps grant for the
Navajo Leader Corps. The grant will support 50 Navajo AmeriCorps members in renovating
165 Head Start Centers and BIA schools across the Navajo Nation. The renovations will
include wiring the facilities for Internet access.
A $100,000 Commitment from Andersen Consulting to Support Small Business In Indian
Country. The President will announce that Andersen Consulting will pledge $100,000 to
mentor and provide technical assistance to Native American tribes, tribal businesses, and other
Native-owned businesses. This assistance will support their efforts to expand e-commerce.
Andersen and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will coordinate this effort.
This support will be in the form of professional mentoring, technical advising, computer
equipment, and other services.
Tachyon, Inc. Will Provide Tribal Colleges with Satellite Internet Access. President Clinton
will announce a major commitment by Tachyon, Inc. to assist 500 students by bringing
Internet access to Diné Tribal College and a remote school. The Tachyon Corporation will
provide high-speed, two-way, satellite-delivered Internet access to link two sites of Diné Tribal
College and the Lake Valley School, a Bureau of Indian Affairs school. This assistance from
Tachyon will build upon a $10.3 million Department of Labor Youth Opportunity Grant
received by the Navajo Nation and Diné College to help fund eight technology centers in each
of Diné College's locations.
An Over $100,000 Commitment by Native American Systems to Increase Internet Access in
Indian Country. The President will announce a more than $100,000 commitment by Native
American Systems (NAS) to provide satellite connections to the Red Rock Day School, a
Bureau of Indian Affairs school on the Navajo Nation in Red Valley, AZ. NAS will donate and
install a satellite dish, a network router, and 12 complete computer workstations, including
Compaq iPAQ computers and monitors for the 244 children attend the Red Rock Day School.
NAS is also contributing an additional 30 network routers which will be distributed to
similarly isolated Bureau of Indian Affairs schools on reservations across the country. The
President and CEO of NAS is Robert P. Rutherford, a member of the Choctaw Tribe.
The Native American Digital Divide Taskforce Will Launch with $100,000 from America
Online. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) will announce the creation of the
Native American Digital Divide Taskforce. This Taskforce, with the support and cooperation
of the Department of Commerce, bring together a core group of tribal leaders, tribal
businesses, academics, government officials, and private businesses to examine issues of
access to technology; economic development and workforce training; education; and the
creation of culturally and socially relevant Internet resources. empower Native communities
through increased information and access to advanced telecommunications and information
technologies.
Blackboard Inc., Commits to Providing Enhanced Educational Tools to Native American
Tribal Colleges. The President will announce a pledge of software, training and educational
content to Native American Tribal Colleges. Blackboard, Inc., is Internet education company
that powers online teaching and learning platforms, servicing more than 2.1 million people
worldwide. Through this pledge, tribal colleges will be able to develop courses for students in
remote areas in need of distance learning opportunities. It will also ensure access for tribal
college students and faculty to millions of online course currently available through the
Blackboard platform.
Healtheon/WebMD Announces Internet Access to Healthcare Information for Indian Country.
Healtheon/WebMD has agreed to provide free subscriptions for WebMD Practice to the
doctors at the Indian Health Services facility in Shiprock, NM. WebMD Practice is an Internet
portal that provides doctors and other healthcare providers with a full spectrum of services and
information to help them provide quality healthcare more effectively and efficiently. In
addition, Healtheon/WebMD will install an Internet-connected kiosk equipped with printers in
the waiting room of the Indian Health Services facility. This kiosk will allow visitors to search
for and print out healthcare information from the WebMD portal.
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USDA-Rural Development Announces Safe and Clean Water Funds for Indian Country. The
Department of Agriculture will announce $3 million in grants from its American Indian Safe
and Clean Water Set-Aside fund to serve six tribal communities in five states (AZ, ME, MN,
OR, SD). Additionally, USDA is committing $2.2 million in low interest loans and $300,000
in grants to the projects. Five tribes and one non-profit utility district have developed these
projects to provide good quality drinking water or improved wastewater disposal.
HUD Announces 10 Neighborhood Network Centers Targeted in Indian Country. As part of
its overall expansion of Neighborhood Network Centers, HUD commits to helping 10 Indian
Housing Authorities to create Neighborhood Network Community Learning Centers, and to
locating donations or other sources of funding for equipment and networking.
HUD Launches Native eDGE - the Native American Economic Development Access Center.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Office of Native American
Programs (ONAP) will announce the creation of a Native American Economic Development
Access Center, accessible via website and toll-free number. This Access Center, called Native
eDGE (economic Development Guidance and Empowerment) will, for the first time,
electronically link resources from over link over 12 Federal agencies with Native Americans,
lending institutions, non-profits, foundations, and private businesses SO they can collaborate to
achieve sustainable economic development in Indian Country. The Access Center will include
a publications clearinghouse to distribute printed materials on demand, and will provide
technical assistance by economic development specialists.
The Department of Education Proposes the Challenging Online Coursework Initiative. The
President will announces that his FY2001 budget includes $10 million to fund the Challenging
Online Coursework Initiative for competitive grants to spur innovative research and
development efforts focused on web-based Advance Placement (AP), second language, and
other challenging coursework. Grants of up to three years would be provided to partnerships
for research, development and evaluation of technologies such as online simulations and other
web-based instruction that can help provide high-quality learning experiences for all students
no matter where their school is located. This initiative will be particularly valuable for remote
Native American schools.
The Small Business Administration and Treasury Propose BusinessLINC in Indian Country.
Under Vice President Gore's leadership, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and
Treasury have launched a national initiative called BusinessLINC. As part of his FY2001
budget, the President has proposed $1.25 million to expand BusinessLINC to Indian Country.
During the remainder of this year, Treasury and SBA will hold at least two working sessions
that will help explore how BusinessLINC in Indian Country might best proceed with particular
attention to high-tech opportunities. These sessions will bring together tribal leaders,
high-technology firms. These working sessions would explore how the high-tech industry
could expand its activities into Indian Country.
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THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION:
FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
February 2, 2000
Today, President Clinton will unveil a comprehensive proposal to help bridge the digital divide and create new
opportunity for all Americans. This issue has been a top priority for Vice President Gore, who has worked to
bridge the Digital Divide by ensuring that all children have access to educational technology. Access to computers
and the Internet and the ability to use this technology effectively are becoming increasingly important for full
participation in America's economic, political and social life. Unfortunately, unequal access to technology and
high-tech skills by income, educational level, race, and geography could deepen and reinforce the divisions that
exist within American society. President Clinton believes that we must make access to computers and the Internet
as universal as the telephone is today -- in our schools, libraries, communities, and homes.
To make the most of these new opportunities, the President believes we must:
Broaden access to technologies such as computers, the Internet, and high-speed networks;
Provide people the skilled teachers and the training they need to master the information economy;
Promote online content and applications that will help empower all Americans to use new
technologies to their fullest potential.
President Clinton will announce specific proposals in his new budget to help accomplish these goals and help
create digital opportunity for more Americans -- including $2 billion in tax incentives to encourage private sector
activities such as computer donations, and $380 million in new and expanded initiatives to serve as a catalyst for
public-private partnerships.
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NEW BUDGET INITIATIVES
1.
$2 billion in tax incentives over 10 years to encourage private sector donation of computers, sponsorship of
community technology centers, and technology training for workers.
2.
$150 million to help train all new teachers entering the workforce to use technology effectively.
3.
$100 million to create 1,000 Community Technology Centers in low-income urban and rural neighborhoo
4.
$50 million for a public/private partnership to expand home access to computers and the Internet for low-in
families.
5.
$45 million to promote innovative applications of information and communications technology for under-se
communities.
6.
$25 million to accelerate private sector deployment of broadband networks in under-served
urban and rural communities.
7.
$10 million to prepare Native Americans for careers in Information Technology and other technical fields.
To Help Mobilize Public/PrivatePartnerships To Close the Digital Divide, President Clinton Will Lead A
New Markets Trip during the week of April 9th: Closing the Digital Divide requires creative partnerships
between industry, non-profit organizations and government. That's why President Clinton will lead a New Markets
trip during the week of April 9th designed to mobilize a significant private and public effort to close the digital
divide. This trip, which will include leading high-tech CEOs, will highlight communities that are using information
technology to enhance our children's education, expand access to life-long learning, and create economic growth
and high-tech, high-wage jobs.
THE CLINTON-GORE AGENDA FOR
CREATING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY
February 2, 2000
Private sector competition and rapid technological progress are powerful forces to bridgethe digital divide and
make Information Age tools available for more and more Americans. The information technology industry is able
to double the amount of computing power available at a given price every 12-18 months, and is now selling low-
cost computers and "information appliances" such as specialized Internet access devices. Some companies are
even offering free, advertiser-supported Internet access. By working with the private sector and community-based
organizations, the Administration can accelerate the trend toward expanded access.
But access to technology is only the first step. We also need to give people the skills they need to use technology,
to promote content and applications of technology that will help empower under-served communities, and to ensure
that teachers can use technology effectively in the classroom. Below is a brief description of the initiatives that
President Clinton and Vice President Gore are proposing to help accomplish these goals:
1. $2 billion over 10 years in tax incentives to encourage private sector donation of computers, sponsorship
of community technology centers, and technology training for workers: President Clinton's budget
includes $2 billion in new tax incentives to encourage companies to donate computers to schools, libraries and
community technology centers, to sponsor schools, libraries, and community technology centers in designated
Empowerment Zones, and to provide basic computer training, workplace literacy, or other basic education for
their employees.
Encouraging companies to donate computers. The President proposes to extend and expand tax
deduction that gives companies an incentive to donate computers to schools, libraries and computer
technology centers. This enhanced deduction allows companies to deduct more than the cost of their
donation. Under current law, this deduction applies to donations of computers to schools only and
expires after the year 2000. The President's proposal would extend this provision through June 30, 2004
and would expand it to donations to public libraries or community technology centers in Empowerment
Zones, Enterprise Communities, and high-poverty areas.
Promoting corporate sponsorship of schools, libraries and community technology
centers.
The President proposes tax relief to encourage companies to sponsor schools and community
technology centers in Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, and targeted low income
areas. The President's proposal would allocate credits for $16 million in corporate sponsorship to each of
the 31 existing Empowerment Zones and 10 proposed new Empowerment Zones and $4 million in
corporate
sponsorship for each of the more than 80 Enterprise Communities. In total, the President's
proposal
would help support up to nearly $1 billion in annual sponsorships to help improve schools
and community technology centers.
Supporting technology training for workers. The President's proposal would provide targeted tax relief
to encourage companies to provide basic computer training, workplace literacy, or other basic education
for employees that lack the basic skills to succeed in the modern workplace. Companies would be
allowed to take a 20 percent tax credit for up to $5,250 in annual expenses per employee. Eligible
employees generally would not have received a high school degree or its equivalent.
2.
$150 million to help train all new teachers entering the workforce use technology
effectively in the classroom: Under the leadership of President Clinton and Vice President Gore,
the United States has made enormous progress in connecting schools to the Internet, and increasing the
number of modern computers in the classroom. However, access to computers and the Internet will not
help students achieve high academic standards unless teachers are as comfortable with a computer as they
are with a chalkboard. President Clinton's budget calls for $150 million in Department of Education grants
-- double the last year's investment of $75 million -- to ensure that all new teachers entering the workforce
are technologically literate and can integrate technology into the curriculum. The need for this
investment is clear. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 20 percent of teachers
report that they are "very well prepared" to integrate technology into classroom. And over the next 10
years, K-12 schools will need to hire 2 million new teachers to fill the vacancies left by retiring teachers
and to accommodate increasing student populations.
3.
$100 million to create up to 1,000 Community Technology Centers in low-income urban and rural
communities: The President's budget more than triples the Department of Education's support for
Community Technology Centers - from $32.5 million in FY2000 to $100 million in FY2001. This
initiative, championed by Congresswoman Maxine Waters was initially funded at $10 million in fiscal year
1999. The goal of the initiative is to help close the "digital divide" by providing computers and
Information Age tools to children and adults that are not able to afford them at home. These community
technology centers will help empower hundreds of thousands of low-income children and adults in a
variety of ways. Children will be able to improve their performance in school by having access to high-
quality educational software after school and prepare for the high-tech workplace of the 21st century by
getting certified with an information technology skill. Adults will be able to use computers and the Internet
to take a self-paced adult literacy course; get access to America's Job Bank to see what jobs are available;
learn to type up a resume and cover letter using word processing software; learn to start up their own
"micro-enterprise" or Web-based business, or acquire new training. A study sponsored by the National
Science Foundation confirms that Community Technology Centers are helping to bridge the digital divide.
Of the users surveyed: 62 percent had incomes of less than $15,000; 65 percent took computer classes to
improve their job skills; and 41 percent got homework help or tutoring at the center.
4.
$50 million for a public/private partnership to expand home access to computers and the Internet for
low-income families: The President's budget includes a new $50 million Department of Commerce pilot
program to expand access to computers and the Internet for low-income families, and to give these families
the skills they need to use these new Information Age tools effectively. This new program will provide
competitive grants to public-private partnerships at the local level. Potential partners might include: local
school districts seeking to expand parental involvement in education; high-tech companies willing to
provide discounts on computers and access; libraries offering training on "information literacy"; employers
seeking to upgrade the skills of their workforce using distance learning, and government agencies at all
levels seeking to save taxpayer dollars through the electronic delivery of government services. The
Administration will continue to work with the private sector and non-profit organizations on the most
effective way to design this program.
5.
$45 million to promote innovative applications of information technology for under-served
communities: President Clinton's budget will increase the investment in the Department of Commerce's
highly-successful Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) to $45 million -- triple the current level of $15
million. This program encourages innovative applications of information technology that help empower
low-income communities public health information systems that raise childhood immunization rates in
inner-cities, tele-mentoring for at-risk youth, and electronic networks that strengthen local communities by
fostering communication and collaboration.
6.
$25 million to accelerate private sector deployment of high-speed networks in under-served urban
and rural communities: High-speed Internet access is becoming as important to the economic vitality of a
community as roads and bridges are today. The President will propose a new $25 million program at the
Department of Commerce and the Department of Agriculture to accelerate private sector deployment of
broadband networks in under-served urban and rural communities -- using grants and loan guarantees. The
potential payoff from these kinds of investments is enormous. One company, for example, has helped
people move from "welfare-to-work" by connecting their community with the high-speed networks needed
to support telecommuting. This solves some of the biggest barriers associated with welfare-to-work -- lack
of childcare and transportation.
7.
$10 million to prepare Native Americans for careers in information technology and other
technical
fields: The National Science Foundation will support efforts by tribal colleges to increase the
number
of Native Americans who are prepared to pursue careers in information technology and other
technical
fields. The ability to use technology is becoming increasingly important in the workplace, and
jobs in
the rapidly growing information technology sector pay almost 80 percent more than the average
private
sector wage.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
Access to computers and the Internet and the ability to effectively use this technology are becoming increasingly
important for full participation in America's economic, political and social life. People are using the Internet to
find lower prices for goods and services, work from home or start their own business, acquire new skills using
distance learning, and make better informed decisions about their healthcare needs. The ability to use technology is
becoming increasingly important in the workplace, and jobs in the rapidly growing information technology sector
pay almost 80 percent more than the average private sector wage.
Technology, used creatively, can also make a big difference in the way teachers teach and students learn. In some
classrooms, teachers are using the Internet to keep up with the latest developments in their field, exchange lesson
plans with their colleagues, and communicate more frequently with parents. Students are able to log on to the
Library of Congress to download primary documents for a history paper, explore the universe with an Internet-
connected telescope used by professional astronomers, and engage in more active "learning by doing." Students are
also creating powerful Internet-based learning resources that can be used by other students -- such as award-
winning Web sites on endangered species, the biology of sleep, human perception of sound, and an exploration of
the American judicial system.
Access to computers and the Internet has exploded during the Clinton-Gore Administration. Unfortunately, there is
strong evidence of a "digital divide" a gap between those individuals and communities that have access to these
Information Age tools and those who don't. In some instances, this divide is actually widening. A July 1999 report
from the Department of Commerce, based on December 1998 Census Department data, revealed that:
Better educated Americans more likely to be connected. Between 1997 and 1998, the technology divide
between those at the highest and lowest education levels increased 25%. In
1998, those with a college degree
are more than eight times likely to have a computer at home
and nearly sixteen times as likely to have home
Internet access as those with an elementary
school education.
The gap between high- and low-income Americans is increasing. In the last year, the divide between
those at the highest and lowest income levels grew 29%. Households with
incomes of $75,000 or higher are
more than twenty times more likely to have access to the Internet than those at the lowest income levels, and more
than nine times as likely to have a
computer at home.
Whites more likely to be connected than African-Americans or Hispanics. The digital
divide is
also persistent and growing along racial and ethnic lines. Whites are more likely to have access to the Internet
from home than African-Americans or Hispanics have from any location.
African-American and Hispanic
households are roughly two-fifths as likely to have home
Internet access as white households. The gaps
between white and Hispanic households, and between white and African-American households, are now more
than six percentage points
larger than they were in 1994. However, for incomes of $75,000 and higher, the
divide between whites and African-Americans has narrowed considerably in the last year.
Rural areas less likely to be connected than urban users. Regardless of income level, those living in
rural areas are lagging behind in computer ownership and Internet access. At some income
levels, those in
urban areas are 50% more likely to have Internet access than those earning the same
income in rural areas.
Low income households in rural areas are the least connected, with connectivity rates in the singles digits for both
computers and Internet access.
In addition, data from the National Center for Education Statistics reveals a "digital divide" in our nation's schools.
As of the fall of 1998, 39 percent of classrooms of poor schools were connected to the Internet, as compared to 62
percent for wealthier schools.
A STRONG RECORD OF WORKING TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
President Clinton and Vice President Gore have worked hard to close the digital divide, and to help create
opportunity for more Americans in the Information Age.
President Clinton and Vice President Gore have set a national goal of ensuring that every child is
technologically literate. In addition to preparing children for the high-tech workplace of the 21st
century, technology can help change the way teachers teach and students learn. Teachers can
communicate more frequently with parents, keep up with the latest developments in their field, and
exchange lesson plans with their colleagues. Students can conduct research using primary source material,
learn the principles of genetics by breeding virtual fruit flies, and learn astronomy by using a
professional
telescope located 3,000 miles from their classroom.
As a result of the Clinton-Gore educational technology initiative:
The number of classrooms connected to the Internet has increased from 3% in 1994 to 51% in 1998.
The number of schools connected to the Internet has increased from 35% in 1994 to 89% in 1998.
The "e-rate", part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, is providing $2.25 billion in 20% - 90%
discounts
to connect schools and libraries to the Internet, with the deepest discounts going to the poorest
schools that need it most. The e-rate alone has provided Internet access for children in more than 1 million
classrooms.
Our total investment in educational technology at the federal level (including the e-rate) has increased
from $23 million in 1993 to over $3 billion today.
Grants supported by the Department of Education are training 400,000 new teachers to use technology
effectively in the classroom.
In addition, President Clinton and Vice-President Gore have worked to:
Expand access to technology for people with disabilities: President Clinton and Vice President Gore
have been strong supporters of efforts to make technology more accessible for people with
disabilities. Recent actions by the Federal Communications Commission will help ensure that
telecommunications equipment, such as cellular phones, is designed to be accessible for people with
disabilities.
Expand access to technology in under-served communities: In addition to the Community
Technology Center program, HUD Sec. Andrew Cuomo has created approximately 500 Neighborhood
Network learning centers that bring state of the art technology to publicly-assisted housing across
America. HUD's Neighborhood Networks are innovative private/public partnerships that establish
computer-based multi-service centers to help people in publicly-assisted housing learn critical computer
skills and prepare for 21st century jobs.
Ensure that the Administration makes closing the Digital Divide a top priority. In
December, 1999, President Clinton directed members of the Cabinet to take specific actions to address the
digital divide: President Clinton is directing members of his Cabinet (Secretaries of Commerce,
Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Labor) to take specific
steps to close the Digital Divide, including:
Continuing to measure the nature and extent of the digital divide by examining the importance of income,
education, race, gender, geography and age to Americans' access to Information Age tools;
Expanding the network of Community Technology Centers to provide access to technology for those
American who can't afford it;
Promoting applications of the Internet that will empower low-income families, such as the ability to start
their own business; and
Upgrading the IT skills of workers in low-income communities.
THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION:
A NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
April 4, 2000
President Clinton Will Announce Today That Over 400 Companies And Non-Profit Organizations Have
Signed A "National Call To Action" To Bring Digital Opportunity To Youth, Families And Communities. The
President will be joined by the Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, Senator Barbara Mikulski and Julian Lacey, a
longtime volunteer at Plugged In, a Community Technology Center in East Palo Alto, California. He will announce
his "National Call to Action" to help bring digital opportunity to youth, families and communities around the country.
Over 400 companies and non-profit organizations have agreed to sign this Call to Action.
President Clinton's "National Call To Action." President Clinton has issued a "National Call to Action" to
challenge corporations and non-profit organizations to take concrete steps to meet two critical goals:
Provide 21st Century Learning Tools For Every Child In Every School. For children to succeed, they
need to master basic skills at an early age. The ability to use technology to learn and succeed in the
workplace of the 21st century has become a "new basic" creating a national imperative to ensure that every
child is technologically literate. To reach this goal, America needs a comprehensive approach to connect
every classroom, provide all students with access to multimedia computers, train teachers to use and
integrate technology into the curriculum, and to provide high quality online content and educational
software.
Create Digital Opportunity For Every American Family And Community. For all families and
communities to benefit from the New Economy, we must ensure that all Americans have access to technology
and the skills needed to use it. We must work to meet the long-term goal of making home access to the
Internet universal, bring technology to every neighborhood through community technology centers, empower
all citizens with IT skills, and motivate more people to appreciate the value of "getting connected."
The President Will Announce Several Initiatives To Help Bring Digital Opportunity To All Americans. The
President will announce the following initiatives that demonstrate a real commitment by the public and private
sectors to work together to bridge the digital divide:
$12.5 Million For An "E-Corps." The Corporation for National Service will commit $10 million to
recruit 750 qualified AmeriCorps members for projects aimed at bringing digital opportunity to youth,
families and communities. These volunteers will provide technical support to school computer systems,
tutor at Community Technology Centers, and offer IT training for high-tech careers. The Corporation for
National Service will also commit $2.5 million for digital divide projects under the Learn and Serve
program, which allows young people to make a difference in their communities while going to school.
Yahoo! Will Invest $1 Million in Digital Opportunity. Yahoo! will provide an Internet advertising
campaign worth $1 million to enlist volunteers with high-tech skills for AmeriCorps' digital divide
initiative. The Yahoo! banner ads will help AmeriCorps meet the challenge of recruiting volunteers with
high-tech skills to work on technology-related projects.
3Com Launches NetPrep GYRLS. In partnership with the YWCA's TechGYRLS program, 3Com will
announce NetPrep GYRLS, a $330,000 program that will offer girls aged 14-16 training in computer
networking. Currently, women represent less than 30 percent of U.S. computer scientists and computer
programmers. The 3Com NetPrep curriculum will allow high school girls to focus their technical education
on computer networking, leading to an industry-standard certification. 3Com expects to reach 600 girls in 30
NetPrep GYRLS locations across the country.
American Library Association. The American Library Association will pledge to help bridge the digital
divide by working with its members to create or expand "information literacy" programs in at least 250
communities around the country. People with information literacy skills are able to recognize when
information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively.
President Clinton Will Also Announce His Third New Markets Tour - From Digital Divide to Digital
Opportunity. On April 17-18, President Clinton, accompanied by CEOs, Members of Congress, Cabinet Secretaries
and community leaders will focus national attention on initiatives aimed at overcoming the digital divide and creating
opportunities for youth, families and communities. The President will travel to East Palo Alto, California; the Navajo
Nation in Shiprock, New Mexico; and Chicago, Illinois to highlight private and public-sector initiatives to help bring
digital opportunity to all Americans. Later this month, the President will travel to rural North Carolina to stress the
importance of expanding rural access to the emerging broadband Internet.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
AND CREATING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS
Access to computers and the Internet and the ability to effectively use this technology are becoming increasingly
important for full participation in America's economic, political and social life. People are using the Internet to
find lower prices for goods and services, work from home or start their own business, acquire new skills using
distance learning, and make better informed decisions about their healthcare needs. The ability to use
technology is becoming increasingly important in the workplace, and jobs in the rapidly growing information
technology sector pay almost 80 percent more than the average private sector wage.
Technology, used creatively, can also make a big difference in the way teachers teach and students learn. In
some classrooms, teachers are using the Internet to keep up with the latest developments in their field, exchange
lesson plans with their colleagues, and communicate more frequently with parents. Students are able to log on
to the Library of Congress to download primary documents for a history paper, explore the universe with an
Internet-connected telescope used by professional astronomers, and engage in more active "learning by doing."
Students are also creating powerful Internet-based learning resources that can be used by other students - such
as award-winning Web sites on endangered species, the biology of sleep, human perception of sound, and an
exploration of the American judicial system.
Access to computers and the Internet has exploded during the Clinton-Gore Administration. Unfortunately,
there is strong evidence of a "digital divide" -- a gap between those individuals and communities that have
access to these Information Age tools and those who don't. A July 1999 report from the Department of
Commerce, based on December 1998 Census Department data, revealed that:
Better educated Americans more likely to be connected. Between 1997 and 1998, the technology divide
between those at the highest and lowest education levels increased 25%. In 1998, those with a college
degree are more than eight times likely to have a computer at home and nearly sixteen times as likely to have
home Internet access as those with an elementary school education.
The gap between high- and low-income Americans is increasing. In the last year, the divide between
those at the highest and lowest income levels grew 29%. Urban households with incomes of $75,000 or
higher are more than twenty times more likely to have access to the Internet than rural households at the
lowest income levels, and more than nine times as likely to have a computer at home.
Whites more likely to be connected than African-Americans or Hispanics. The digital divide is also
persistent along racial and ethnic lines. Whites are more likely to have access to the Internet from home
than African-Americans or Hispanics have from any location. African-American and Hispanic households
are roughly two-fifths as likely to have home Internet access as white households. However, for incomes of
$75,000 and higher, the divide between whites and African-Americans has narrowed considerably in the last
year.
Rural areas less likely to be connected than urban users. Regardless of income level, those living in rural
areas are lagging behind in computer ownership and Internet access. At some income levels, those in urban
areas are 50% more likely to have Internet access than those earning the same income in rural areas. Low
income households in rural areas are the least connected, with connectivity rates in the singles digits for
both computers and Internet access.
In addition, data from the National Center for Education Statistics reveals a "digital divide" in our nation's schools.
As of the fall of 1998, 39 percent of classrooms of poor schools were connected to the Internet, as compared to 74
percent in wealthier schools.
DRAFT
ELEMENTS OF A NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP
We can only reach our goals by developing strong partnerships between government, industry, and the rich
mosaic of America's civil society -- educators, labor unions, librarians, civil rights leaders, faith-based
organizations, foundations, and volunteers, and community-based organizations. We must also recognize that
while competition, market forces, technological progress and new business models will help expand access by
lowering the price of Internet access, computers, and "information appliances," access to technology is only
one piece of the puzzle.
That is why we are urging that we agree to take a comprehensive approach: addressing not only Internet access
and hardware, but the creation of quality content and applications, effective training, the development of
information literacy, and intensive support and guidance from teachers and mentors. We must also make a
special effort to find ways to motivate and inspire those who are not connected to see the value of participating
in the Information Revolution.
By pledging to take on specific challenges in the overall effort -- beginning with some of the items outlined
below -- you can make a tremendous difference in the lives of millions of American children and families.*
We also encourage other ideas and commitments to help bring digital opportunity to all Americans in a
sustained and thorough way.
GOAL 1: 21ST CENTURY LEARNING TOOLS FOR EVERY CHILD IN EVERY SCHOOL
Taking Action to Meet All Aspects of the Goal
Make every school a model school by providing a comprehensive approach to education technology.
Examples of partnerships that have taken this comprehensive approach include the Joint Venture Silicon
Valley "21ˢᵗ Century Education Initiative," and the "NextDay" project of NetDay.
Match the Administration's Investment in the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund.
The Administration is proposing an increase from $425 million to $450 million to help states and local
communities meet all four components of the goal.
Work with local parents' groups to develop and complete school-wide surveys to determine which of the goal's
four components are being met.
Offer experts from universities and corporations to work full or part-time in schools - devoting their knowledge
and energy to helping schools achieve all four parts of the goal.
Connecting Every Classroom and Library to the Internet
Continue support for the E-rate
E-Rate has provided $3.65 billion in support Internet connections in schools and libraries over the last two
*
: Examples are for illustrative purposes only -- there are many other companies and non-profits that are working to bridge the
digital divide.
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years -- with the deepest discounts to the poorest schools that need it most.
Continue volunteer efforts such as NetDay, TechCorps, and the High Speed Education Connection" of the
cable TV industry.
Providing Schools with the Computers they Require
Donate computers to schools and libraries to bring greater access to technology to children and families
The Administration is extending and expanding an enhanced tax deduction to allow companies to deduct
more than the cost of their donation.
Training Teachers to Use Technology Effectively in the Classroom
Develop partnerships to provide technology training to all new and existing teachers.
The Administration has set a goal of training all new teachers to use technology, and has proposed $150
million to help meet this goal, which companies can support by partnering with schools of education.
The CEO Forum has developed a detailed set of goals for how schools of education and states can work
to ensure that all teachers are prepared to teach using technology.
Several companies (e.g. Intel, Microsoft, AT&T) are also devoting significant resources to training
existing teachers with summer academies, and follow-up support during the course of the school year.
Providing Compelling Content
Create a Digital Library for Education to help students and teachers find quality content on the Internet.
The Administration is proposing $41 million for an initiative to expand access to high-quality Internet-
based educational resources, and to make it easier for parents, teachers and students to find compelling
content by grade level and subject area.
Several companies (e.g. Ameritech, MCI WorldCom) have partnered with government agencies to offer
intensive training to teachers so they can develop content, and have provided grants to institutions to
digitize special collections (such as the Library of Congress "American Memory" project).
Motivating Young People to Learn and Use Technology to its Fullest Potential.
Motivate and train youth for careers in information technology
Companies such as Cisco, 3Com and Novell have launched programs which help prepare students for
high-paying jobs in the IT sector.
Develop Public Service Announcements with celebrities
Sports and entertainment stars can agree to do PSAs showing them using the computers and explaining
why they are excited about the Internet, and why mastering these new tools is SO important.
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Develop Public Service Announcements with celebrities to motivate young people and adults to use
computers and explore the Internet -- including a "no fear, no shame" campaign for those adults who
may be reluctant to admit that they don't know how to use technology.
This kind of campaign would also be important for adults -- many of whom might be afraid to admit that
they don't know how to use technology.
GOAL 2: DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
Expanding Home Access
Provide computers and Internet services to your employees and their families.
Leading U.S. companies such as Ford and Delta have determined that providing their employees with
computers and Internet access at reduced rates is critical to upgrading the skills of their employees.
The Administration has proposed $50 million for a pilot project to expand home access for low-income
families. Companies can support local projects through free or discounted hardware, software, Internet
access and training. Pilots are being supported by Computers For Youth, Microsoft, Bell Atlantic, IBM,
and "Clickstart."
Creating more Community Technology Centers
Donate all aspects of technology to help provide national coverage through Community Technology
Centers (CTCs). CTCs provide children and adults a place to go where technology and assistance is
available to them-including everything from conducting job searches to finding child care to providing
children with structured after-school programs.
The Administration is proposing to expand its investment in CTCs from $32.5 million to $100 million-
to create up to 1,000 new centers.
By extending and expanding an enhanced tax deduction, the Administration encourages companies to
donate equipment, software, Internet access, support and instructors to expand the number of CTCs.
PowerUP (with support from AOL, Case Foundation, Gateway, HP, Sun, and Americorps) is working
to give underserved youth access to technology and guidance on how to use it.
Providing Greater Training to Allow all Individuals to Fully Participate in the Digital Economy
Offer training and internships to prepare more minorities and low-income workers for IT sector jobs
Information Technology Association of America is leading efforts to expand the number of minority
internships in IT companies. Other companies and non-profits are getting positive results by providing
IT training to people who are unemployed, on welfare, or holding minimum-wage jobs.
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One California-based non-profit (OpNet) has been able to help people who were unemployed or making
an average of $6 per hour compete successfully for jobs paying up to $45,000 year. Another consortium
of Northern California companies has launched a project called "Welfare-to-Web" to provide the training
people need to make the transition from welfare to high-tech jobs.
Provide Basic Technology Training to Workers
Companies can take advantage of the President's tax credit and provide their employees with basic
computer training, workplace literacy or other basic education.
Increase access to "information literacy" skills
According to the American Library Association, an information literate person is "able to recognize
when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively." Companies
can donate the computers and Internet access that librarians need to provide people with these skills.
Providing Content and Applications that will Help Empower Low-Income Communities
Develop content to help families access quality information and resources to meet their everyday needs
Examples might include compelling courseware for adult literacy, adult basic education, English as a
Second Language, or the skills needed to start a "micro-enterprise."
Companies, state and local government agencies and non-profits can also collaborate to develop
"portals" that would provide one-stop access to content particularly relevant to the needs of low-income
families — such as child care, transportation, employment opportunities, and social services.
The Administration is proposing to triple its investment in the Technology Opportunities Program (to
$45 million), which has supported many innovative applications of information technology.
Bringing Advanced Technology to Isolated Rural Communities and to Indian Country
Ensure that Native Americans participate in the New Economy. The Native American community can
benefit from training for IT jobs, access to broadband networks that can help bring technology-related
employment, e-commerce solutions for Native American small businesses, and the use of technology to
preserve and share Native American culture.
The Administration proposes $10 million for grants to tribal colleges for networking and access; course
development; student assistance; and capacity building.
Develop innovative business models and new technologies to deploy advanced services to rural America.
The Administration has proposed several hundred million in loan guarantees to accelerate the
deployment of broadband wireline and wireless networks to rural America.
Companies are developing broadband technologies that can be cost-effectively deployed.
Companies are exploring ways to bring fiber optic networks to rural states if users can pool their
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purchasing power.
Ensuring that Information Technologies and the Internet are Accessible to People with Disabilities
Make the Web and information technology accessible for people with disabilities.
The Administration and Internet companies are co-funding the "Web Accessibility Initiative" through
the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Internet and e-commerce companies can move to adopt Web
accessibility standards being developed by the W3C for Web content, browsers and authoring tools.
Many telecommunications companies are working to enhance the accessibility of their products to meet
the requirements of Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
The Administration is proposing increased funding to improve the state-of-the-art of assistive
technology, and to make it more affordable for people with disabilities.
5