Technology can help during a health crisis at schools…or can it?

Today’s Washington Times reports on how the Flu could hit poor schools hardest and a federal guidelines for school districts regarding student participation during a flu crisis.

The article discusses how students that are ill can stay home but still be connected to their classes through web conferencing, podcast technology, etc. But what about the student that is too poor for a computer or Internet access?

The department of education provided a six-page guideline to schools suggesting closed-circuit television, DVDs and Internet usage, among other technology, to get information to students in anticipation of high absentee rates and temporary school shutdowns because of a flu outbreak. However, that would not be available to students without Internet access or tools.

"It would be very difficult," said William Lockridge, D.C. State Board of Education representative for Wards 7 and 8, areas of the city east of the Anacostia River that tend to have higher rates of poverty. "Living in an economically depressed community, a lot of kids and parents don't have access to computers. It would be very hard to get students information from the Internet or other methods through computers." "If you can't afford a computer, you can't afford the access to the Internet," he said.

Lisa Raymond, D.C. State Board of Education president, said it is important for those implementing the plans to bridge the "digital divide," a term commonly used to describe the gap between those who have access to information through technology and those who do not. "It's important for the District to meet the needs of all of their students," Mrs. Raymond said. "Some schools and some parents won't have access to that technology. Those schools should get the educational support they would need."

Virginia-based Association of Teacher Educators is a mentor program that prepares teachers for the classroom. Executive Director David Ritchey said schools are being proactive in providing all students access to technology. "Not only are costs coming down, but there's a lot more effort to provide electronic advantages to those who were missing them before in order to cross that digital divide," Mr. Ritchey said. "Some are going to have more access than others, but schools are doing as much as they can."

As flu season rapidly approaches it will be incumbent on school districts to provide several means of communication with students who are ill and unable to attend classes. Let’s hope with these new guidelines they (the school districts) can meet the challenge.

Read the full article here.