OTAN News

CTN Community Tech Network: Transforming Lives Through Digital Equity

Community Tech Network acknowledges the barriers people may face acquiring digital literacy skills like people who cannot physically attend a class or people who speak additional languages other than English. CTN has been advocating over the past 15 years for better access because "no one deserves to be left on the wrong side of the digital divide." Some resources which may help with this issue are summarized below.

Providing Remote Digital Literacy to Homebound and Rural Individuals With Vivalon

Vivalon partnered with CTN to provide remote training through their Home Connect Program. Particularly for homebound folks, connection with others — even virtually — is critical, as the mail carrier may be the only person that many older adults see on a given day. Remote programming allows learners to connect with their instructor and learn to stay connected online with family and friends. Learn more about our initiative with Vivalon.

Bringing Digital Literacy to Non-English Speakers

CTN ensures accessibility of "all printed materials, curriculum, and devices," in eight languages. Additionally, they hire "bilingual instructors so there is no need for translators," which can disrupt the flow of classes. Read the details of how CTN supports non-English speaking learners

Supporting Low-Income and Disabled Individuals Through Chat

The project delivers iPads to low-income and disabled adults, and CTN has been providing individuals with personalized support to help them learn to use their devices. Our goal is to support 500 seniors statewide through this initiative. So far, our involvement has been a huge success! Read some of the statistics and feedback that were collected through recent learner satisfaction surveys.

Full Article: Bringing Digital Equity to Rural, Homebound, and Non-English-Speaking Learners – April 2023