Programs:

Bridging The Digital Divide has developed innovative programs to increase the access to computer technology and enhance the academic skills of our youth. These programs include: the “Read By Six Initiative”, “Wireless Internet Communities”, “No Special Needs Child Left Behind”, and “The Computer Olympic Challenge”.  For more information about the programs please read the following information: 

Read by Six Initiative

Project #1: “Read by Six Initiative Within the North Forest School District”

The project provides computers to over one hundred licensed child-care centers, licensed home child-care centers and private schools who serve thousands of children that annually feed into the North Forest School District. The computers contain a pre-k curriculum along with other educational software which provides instruction for students two years and older on how to read and write so that they are academically prepared for kindergarten.  The project is financially supported (Starter Grant) by Houston Social Venture Partners (HSVP). HSVP, an organization of successful professionals, responds to social needs throughout Houston’s local communities.   

The North Forest Independent   School District is the largest Black school district in the state and 95% of the families within the district live below the poverty line.  North Forest students usually perform below state and regional levels on standardized tests. The district's population is over 95% minority while over 60% of its children are "at risk" or economically disadvantaged.  Throughout Texas and this nation, districts that serve "at risk" and economically disadvantaged students typically under perform compared to more affluent school districts. 

Other Supporters:

Houston Area Urban League (H.A.U.L.) professionals will works with the parents of these students to ensure that there will be a home environment that reinforces those academic and socials skills being taught in school.  El Paso Energy will provide computers and printers to participating schools/daycares.  Texas Southern University and American Intercontinental   University will provide the assessment protocol to document this project's success.    

Wireless Internet Communities

Project #2:  “Wi-Fi Networks Established at the Independence Hall Apartment Complex (Serves physically challenged and elderly)   

The Independence Hall apartment complex is located in North Houston. It is the first HUD property to have a Wi-Fi Network installed for its residents.. The project provides free computers and Internet to the residents of the Independence Hall. This is a valuable amenity for Independence Hall residents. The majority of residents are confined to wheelchairs and having computers with Internet accessibility from their apartments makes life a lot easier.  Having access to the Internet allows disabled and elderly residents the ability to access needed social services from state and federal agencies, as well as, other commonly used agencies. Furthermore, they can now shop for groceries and other goods online, take college courses, and send email messages to their family and friends.  Some residents can also receive medical advisement and treatment online.   

Independence Hall Apartments were constructed in 1978 and are comprised of 297-units designed for handicapped accessibility.  In 2001, the Verizon Foundation provided funding for the Independence Hall Computer Learning Center , which consists of 12 computers networked and connected to the Internet through a DSL line.  Heavily increased usage and limited Computer Learning Center hours frustrated the residents.  Management alone with community partners determined that it was necessary to provide the needed services to each apartment.  However, with limited funding they were only able to install the WI-FI Network and provide 30 residents with computers. We are looking for financial help and donations of retired Pentium III or Pentium IV computers to provide the other 200 plus apartments with computers. 

Using Independence Hall as an example, Houston can be a model for Digital Inclusion. The United States leads the world in Information technology development, however we rank 14^th among developed nations in terms of providing computer technology to our citizens.  In Houston , 150,000 families qualify as low income renters. Because of their struggles, they cannot afford computers and internet excess.  We can alleviate this problem and increase the technological capabilities of our emerging workforce by establishing WI-FI Communities/bubbles within apartment complexes that provide housing for low-income Houstonians, and insure digital inclusion for all.

All middle and high students must have an Internet accessible computer in their homes if we expect them to excel and compete academically.  The Houston Library System provides free tutoring for students who access to the Internet. This free service, 3:30pm to 10:30pm daily, connects students from 4th grade to 12th grade to expert tutors in math, science, social studies, and English. Students who do not have computers in their homes do not have access to this beneficial service.

Law Enforcement And Residents Security Benefits: Finally, once an apartment has Wi-Fi a “Community Surveillance Zones” can be established utilizing surveillance cameras. City services, police and other emergency responders alone with residence, can access these cameras via the Internet thereby allowing 24/7 surveillance of properties with high crime rates.  

Project 3: No Special Needs Child Left Behind:

      Once a month BDD donates a computer to the family of a special needs child. Computers help in the educational development of a child with special needs.

Donna Denny, director of Adobe Speech & Hearing Systems (aka Fort Adobe), explains the important role computers play in the development of special needs children (BDD donated 10 computers to Fort Adobe located in Bay Town Texas August 2007):

The Computer's Role in Speech Therapy

1.     Assessment, Therapy/Training, & Measurement

2.     Provide new modalities for understanding sounds, words

3.     Help develop perception of basic speech (voicing, understanding      sounds and words)

4.     Motivational tool to promote the desire to improve in understanding concepts and communication

5.     Positive feedback in an interactive environment versus a self-conscious repetitive drill (less self-conscious than a face-to-face environment and more willing to work for longer periods of time on a computer). 

6.     The computer allows independence with a non-threatening feedback resource placing the responsibility back onto the client’s shoulders allowing more involvement in judging themselves. 

7.     You can see something occurring versus being told something is correct or incorrect in a more entertaining manner (less likely to argue with a computer or challenge an “interpretation” of scoring, too)

8.     Application (carry over) is more evident as the client is more apt to perform a task more often working with a computer lab than with an instructor alone

9.     With any visual display tool, the therapist is still an integral part of the entire process … determining the appropriate program and making appropriate modifications for language age, application, etc.

Example: As an adjunct to specialized speech therapy giving both visual and auditory feedback in word to sentence level activities. 

(a) Picture Identification, Picture Matching, Articulation, Sentence Formulation

(b) Cause and effect, Visual/Auditory Discrimination and Identification

(c) etc etc etc 

Project 4: Computer Olympic Challenge:

BDD holds an annual Computer Olympic Challenge. Kids, ages 3 thru 12, compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals on computer related events. The kids come from schools and daycares that participate in the Read By Six Initiative. Training for the Computer Olympics helps students master the concepts of the educational programs installed on the computers.

To see more pictures please visit photo site at http://www.ephotospace.com/bddhouston