[May 28, 2012] Another barrier to technological access: Computer illiteracy Tweet May 28, 2012 (St. Cloud Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- While many in government are concerning themselves with building infrastructure to make high-speed Internet available to all, sometimes the barrier is lower-tech: know-how. Populations that lag changes technologically are sometimes under-served because they don't know how to use a computer ? or they don't think that computer access is important in their lives. A December report by Minnesota's Broadband Task Force said more than half of low-income or Hispanic households do not subscribe to broadband. And only about 30 percent of seniors do. A few months later, a report by the Pew Research Center found that being older than 65, lacking a high school education or having an income of less than $20,000 a year are the strongest predictors of lagging Internet use. Adults with a disability also are less likely to go online. Of the one in five adults in the U.S. who don't use the Internet, almost half told the Pew Research Center the main reason is because they don't think the Internet is relevant to them. Many times, the first step in getting someone connected is teaching them how. "If you don't know technology, you're kind of at a standstill," said Jennifer Hermanson, an admistrative assistant who handles IT at Independent Lifestyles Inc. in Sauk Rapids. Independent Lifestyles was one of the organizations that benefited from the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities grants supplied through the Blandin Foundation of Grand Rapids and administered with the help of Benton County. They created classes as part of Project BRAVE: Broadband, Resources and Vocational Exploration. Hermanson and other teachers of the classes find that as people get more comfortable online, they begin to use digital resources more. Most of the people coming into the open lab simply didn't have access before. She's seen people who previously spent maybe a minute a month on a computer coming in and spending hours. The Independent Lifestyles lab also has lots of adaptive equipment so people with disabilities can use the computers. Equipment includes everything from vision aids to equipment that helps with those who have low mobility. Their technology center is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Assistance is available as needed. Country Manor in Sartell purchased iPads for tenants and residents. The facility then paired residents with Sartell High School students to teach them how to use them. Many people turn to public libraries to get at least limited access to online resources. Digitial literacy is one of the goals for programming for the Great River Regional Library system, said Beth Ringsmuth Stoltman, patron services specialist for the system. It's up to branch managers to make decisions on programming, but they have in the past run classes on computer basics. "It's hard to learn what comes naturally to so many of us," she said. "It's just an innate thing for a lot of people." Mainly, libraries act as a place for people to get high-speed access. "We do try to give access to those people that most need it. That's one of the main reasons that we have libraries, because not everybody can afford to buy 20 books a year or have broadband." Computers at home PCs for People, a nonprofit organization that started in Mankato in 1998, provides computers to low-income families for free or at a low cost. About 4,000 computers are given out in Minnesota a year, said Casey Sorenson, executive director. The organization works with businesses, nonprofit organizations, state agencies, cities, counties and individuals to get old computers, refurbish them and get them to people in need. Places in Benton County have benefited from a PCs for People program that travels around the state to provide computers. Fifteen went to Independent Lifestyles, eight to Heritage of Foley health care campus, two to the Good Shepherd Community and two to the city of Rice. PCs for People collected 30 computers from the area in the last year that will be refurbished and provided to others. The program mainly focuses on connecting people with computers. They refer people to services to help them learn how to use the computer. Often, kids will teach their parents, Sorenson said. Job searches The most common reason late adopters use computers once they eventually learn? Job searching is No. 1 ?and the occasional Facebook check-in, Hermanson said. One person Sorenson met said getting online changed his life. He told Sorenson that before, it took him three days to apply for a job using the limited time he had access to a library computer. After he got a computer, he was able to spend hours applying for jobs, landing one in two months. In Sauk Rapids, more than 80 people took basic computer classes on topics including beginning PC, beginning Mac, introduction to the Internet and Google basics. "I was very impressed with the response," said Sandy Grosland, director of community education for the Sauk Rapids-Rice school district. They priced the classes at $10, and any Benton County resident could have the fee reimbursed. They also cosponsored classes with University of Minnesota Extension. Both Independent Lifestyles and Sauk Rapids will continue classes through the summer. Sauk Rapids also used the grant to match its purchase of six iPads with six more. It also offered classes on how to use them. "They had so much fun. It was really really fun to watch," she said. The attendees went from being afraid to touch iPads to using them well. In Foley, the MIRC grants helped to increase the open computer lab time for the community and offer additional classes to community members. "MIRC has really helped us move forward with our technology," said Cori Reynolds, of Foley Community Education and Gifted and Talented for the district. One man used the lab time to brush up on his job skills, she said. The additional wireless routers installed in the school because of MIRC grant also benefited community education. They're now looking at purchasing iPads. "Getting wireless off that brand-new router ... makes this whole thing even possible," she said. ___ (c)2012 the St. Cloud Times (St. Cloud, Minn.) Visit the St. Cloud Times (St. Cloud, Minn.) at www.sctimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]