Reducing Digital Divide: Adult Oriented Distance Learning

Abstract

The present paper shows the digital divide that exists among the communities that use ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) in their everyday lives, including access to local government web sites, and those that have total ignorance of the subject.

A survey regarding information technology knowledge was performed in several communities with very different sociocultural characteristics. The results of the survey, from a technological scope, show the width of the technologic gap that separates those communities. Being aware of this digital divide, this research shows the results of the implementation of a strategy that allows deprived citizens, who live in the border zones, to reach information technology knowledge. This strategy includes face learning, distance learning, the use of massive communication media, practice in national university’s computer labs and, theory and practice exams.