The internet is home to a vast array
of resources and opportunities for people of all
ages Unfortunately, not everyone has a stable connection
or owns the appropriate devices to access it,
and in some cases, language barriers make it
difficult for people to take advantage of certain
services Here, listed in no particular order, are
some groups working to help connect people online.
First up, at # 1 we have EducationSuperHighway.
Founded in 2012, this non-profit aims to upgrade
the internet access of every public school classroom
in America, so that every student has the
opportunity to take advantage of digital resources. Its
mission is supported by governors in all fifty
states.
Its Digital Bridge K-12 program works to increase
connectivity outside the classroom by providing every public
school in America with a playbook to identify
students who lack access to the Internet or
a dedicated learning device at home. The organization's
tools and resources provide best practices for researching
procuring, and deploying solutions and helping school districts
set up device lending programs.
Taking the # 2 spot is Next Century
Cities, which supports mayors and community leaders across
America as they seek to ensure that everyone
has fast affordable, and reliable broadband access. The
group is committed to demonstrating the value of
gigabit internet and its ability to attract new
businesses ensure civic participation, and connect residents to
new opportunities.
The organization shares updates on its work and
its member communities' connectivity initiatives around the country
in its newsletters. Next Century Cities' Becoming Broadband
Ready toolkit contains a compilation of practices for
any community seeking strategies and solutions to connect
its residents.
Next up, at # 3 we have Byte
Level Research. Founded in 2000, the company is
dedicated to best practices in web and content
globalization. It is the first firm to benchmark
websites across all industries, resulting in the annual
Web Globalization Report Card, which is designed to
help guide marketing and IT executives.
The group offers training for marketing web, and
IT teams, providing hands-on recommendations that help companies
improve usability, boost traffic to local websites, and
save money along the way. The company's imprint,
Byte Level Books, has published various non-fiction titles
such as founder John Yunker's Think Outside the
Country, which aims to help others gain a
better understanding of the global internet and how
to make the most of it.
At # 4 is Powering Potential, which aims
to use technology to enhance education and stimulate
the imaginations of students in underdeveloped countries while
respecting and incorporating values of the local culture.
Its programs are designed to provide access to
both online and offline educational resources as well
as to train select school staff so that
they are able to effectively facilitate use.
Through its SPARC program, the organization collaborates with
local district education officers to identify schools that
will receive solar-powered Raspberry Pi computers as well
as an offline digital library by World Possible,
which includes various articles, educational videos, and other
programs and materials. Included in every SPARC installation
is the Pi-oneer system, which allows teachers to
utilize audiovisual teaching aids to improve student learning
outcomes.
Next up, at # 5 we have Connect
Americans Now, a coalition of organizations and companies
committed to completely and swiftly eliminating the digital
divide in the country by supporting a mixed-technology
approach that leverages the full potential of every
tool in the nation's toolkit.
To provide affordable and reliable service in rural
communities, the organization seeks to deploy a combination
of wired and wireless technologies, utilizing a range
of frequencies, including TV white spaces. As part
of its efforts, Connect Americans Now has spearheaded
educational campaigns across the country working with lawmakers
to introduce a resolution calling on the FCC
to support TV white space technology.
Finally, at # 6 we have Affordable Language
Services, a provider of innovative solutions aimed at
overcoming communication barriers. The company's translation services include
finding qualified linguists who are fluent in its
customer's original and target language who are also
experts in the client's field or industry.
The company also offers website translation services, which
take into account all of the client's target
cultures' rules and nuances when it comes to
language in order to avoid embarrassing or offensive
mistakes. When localizing a website, the service also
takes into consideration the intended audience's units of
measurement, local currencies typeface, number and date formats,
and the use of graphics.