The spread of technology and access to the Internet provides endless opportunities to a great number of people. People who have online access have the ability to better themselves through learning, developing new skills, and many other positive activities. Yet those who do not have access to the Internet are increasingly at a disadvantage. Author and blogger Katrina Schwartz discusses the necessity of extending Internet access to all people in her article “Internet Access for All: A New Program Targets Low-Income Students.”

Though access to technology can be incredibly beneficial, especially for schools and students, it can also be costly. Low-income schools suffer from the inability to provide new technology for students and training for teachers on new ways to teach using technology. Additionally, as schools shift towards the inclusion of technology in the classroom, students who do not have online access at home are more likely to fall behind. Not only do schools demand more interaction with online tools and devices, but the workplace is requiring more of its employees to use technology in their daily work. Thus students who do not encounter these technologies from an early age will struggle more as they finish school and seek employment. Nonprofit group Connect2Compete hopes to reverse this trend with its EveryoneOn campaign.

Connect2Compete Logo

Offering low-cost technology and Internet access, Connect2Compete hopes to provide low-income families with the opportunities that they lack without an Internet connection. The nonprofit cites the statistic that 100 million people in America have no broadband connection, while 62 million Americans do not use the Internet. Low-income families with students in elementary or high school will be eligible to receive a free router and unlimited Internet service for less than $10 every month. These are families that qualify for free or reduced lunches. People with no children will also be offered Internet acces for a similarly low cost. In the United States we understand education to be an opportunity open to everyone. Connect2Compete argues that Internet access should have a similar status in the U.S.

This program and the nonprofit aim to eliminate the cost barrier of low-income families to technology and online access. Students and adults alike will greatly benefit from easier access to both technology and web-based learning. This type of access will be essential for students in the future and will reduce the disadvantage that previously existed. Access to the Internet can also be helpful for those seeking employment, offering tools for the job search and for increasing online literacy. As society shifts toward welcoming more technology, we must work to reduce the disadvantage of those who do not have access to it. Following the example of organizations like Connect2Compete, we must remember that ability to use the Internet, just like education, is a right we all must share.