55 Chapel Street

Newton, MA 02458

www.edc.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 22, 2000

Contact: Laura Breeden, 650-853-3040 or Vivian Guilfoy, 617-618-2310

NEW CONSORTIUM TO HELP BRIDGE “DIGITAL DIVIDE”

NEWTON, MA—Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) announced today that it and

seven partners have been awarded a one-year, $2 million U.S. Department of

Education contract to further the work of community technology centers (CTCs) in

low-income areas. The America Connects Consortium, as the eight partners will be

known, will provide technical and organizational assistance to the more than 400

CTCs currently funded by the Department of Education and the many other CTCs

that have been established in low-income communities with other funding.

“This award is an important step to insure that everyone has access to

computers, especially those in lower-income and hard-to-reach rural areas,” said

U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, in announcing the contract. “The

centers allow everyone to take advantage of learning and economic opportunities

that have been beyond their reach until now.”

“They are a critical piece in this continuing wave of using technology,” noted

Vivian Guilfoy, EDC Vice President and Senior Advisor to the Consortium. “In

addition to providing access, they’re showing us many successful models for how

community technology transforms peoples’ lives, their work, and their

neighborhoods.”

Located in libraries, schools, community centers, community colleges, public

housing facilities, and other settings, CTCs offer computer and Internet

training and access to residents of economically distressed communities. From

their grassroots beginning in the 1980s, CTCs have attracted a strong following,

advancing center users’ educational and career goals through hands-on training

in both information technology and career preparation skills. A recent survey

showed a 90% return rate by center users.

But the movement now needs strong regional and national support, said Paul Lamb,

Executive Director of Street Tech (www.streettech.org), a CTC in San Pablo, CA:

“We have wonderful experiments and models that are pushing the envelope in

technology access and training for the digitally deprived, but we need better

technical support, more effective curricula, improved program standards, and a

closer working relationship with private industry. The America Connects

Consortium represents a great opportunity.” The Director of the Consortium,

Laura Breeden, concurred. “The eight partners bring together powerful

relationships and many years of experience applying technology in

non-traditional settings. We are excited about what we will be able to

accomplish together.”

The America Connects Consortium was the winning bid in a Department of Education

request for technical assistance to CTCs in education technology, research,

accessibility, and organizational development. As lead partner in the

consortium, EDC will provide project management and coordination in addition to

expertise in education technology, online professional education, and Web site

management. EDC will draw on existing successful collaborations with other

consortium partners, including its work with such community technology pioneers

as CTCNet and HUD Neighborhood Networks (together representing nearly 1,000

CTCs) and through partnerships with industry groups such as NAB and ITAA to

develop skill standards and educational pathways for the information technology

industry. Through an affiliated group, the Friends of ACC, the Consortium

includes additional public and private sector representation.

The America Connects Consortium partners are:

Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), a nonprofit education research and

development organization (www.edc.org), Newton, MA

Community Technology Centers’ Network (CTCNet), a national association of more

than 400 CTCs, established in 1992 (www.ctcnet.org), Cambridge, MA

ICF Consulting (ICF), an international firm working on community and economic

development, including technical assistance for CTCs in HUD housing

(www.neighborhoodnetworks.org), Fairfax, VA

Alliance for Nonprofit Management (ANM), a national membership association for

nonprofit management support organizations, consultants, and allied institutions

(www.allianceonline.org), Washington, DC

Alliance for Technology Access (ATA), an association of 41 centers that provide

technology assistance for people with disabilities (www.ataccess.org), San

Rafael, CA

CompuMentor, a pioneer in matching volunteers with technology skills with

nonprofit organizations and in guiding nonprofits on technology use.

(www.compumentor.org), San Francisco, CA

Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), an information technology

industry association to advance workforce development and other issues

(www.itaa.org), Arlington, VA

National Alliance of Business (NAB), an employee education and training

association for business leaders (www.nab.org), Washington, DC

The Friends of the America Connects Consortium are:

Morino Institute, a philanthropic organization with programs in youth

development, entrepreneurship, and social venture investment (www.morino.org),

Reston, VA

PowerUp, a public-private initiative to give access to technology and

information technology training to underserved youth (www.powerup.org), McLean,

VA

ThinkQuest, an international program granting scholarships to teams of students

for exemplary educational Web programming (www.thinkquest.org), Armonk, NY

Technology for All, a new private-public initiative to make computing and media

resources available to nonprofits and community groups at no or low cost

(www.techforall.org), Houston, TX

Policy Link, a national center for community development, technology, and social

change (www.policylink.org), Oakland, CA

Service Employees International Union, an international labor organization now

providing computer and Internet access to its 1.4 million members at discounted

prices (www.seiu.org), Washington, DC

* * *

EDC is one of the world’s leading nonprofit education organizations, with more

than 500 employees at work on 325 projects around the globe. It conducts

research and develops programs in a wide range of areas, including early child

development, K-12 education, health promotion, workforce preparation,

educational technology, and institutional reform.