As we mentioned the other day, e-books can present a problem for people on the underside of the digital divide. The e-book reader is only one part of the equation; another part is affordable Internet access—and while broadband access isn’t required for downloading something the size of an e-book, it certainly makes it easier in general.
Today Comcast announced the launch of a new program meant to address the one-third of the US population without broadband access. The Internet Essentials program is aimed at low-income families with children who qualify for free lunch under the federal National School Lunch Program. It will provide 1.5 Mbps service to these families at a cost of $9.95 per month, rather than the $41 it usually charges for that service. It will also work with Microsoft, Dell, and Acer to make low-cost, sub-$150 computers available to these families.
This could be very helpful in providing educational opportunities to those children, for certain—and might also help the families be better able to adopt e-books as well. When you get right down to it, you don’t necessarily need a dedicated e-book reader to read e-books; just a computer will do.
Thank you Comcast for doing your part in an attempt to close the educational gap. I’m sure access to a computer and internet access alone will not close the educational gap low income families tend to have in comparison to middle class families; it will allow some basic educational needs to be met for this day and age.
Thank you,