Mr. Bruce McComb, Executive Director, RECA Foundation
The goal of this project is to assist rural communities in the Pacific Northwest in planning for their own public access to the Internet, World Wide Web (WWW), and other online resources. This project will: endeavor to provide access to those areas underserved; maximize the use of existing and planned telecommunications infrastructure; and ensure active participation from a wide range of social, economic, and cultural interests. The emphasis will be on establishing, as a minimum, a community computing network (data telecommunications) based on the unique needs, assets and expertise of each locale. A well developed, turnkey community computing system will be made available as a low cost option.
We are a Washington non-profit organization, exempt from federal income tax as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and classified as a publicly supported non-profit organization.
The Foundation has operated the Tri-Cities Free-Net (formerly the Tri-Cities On-Line) as a demonstration project and research and development platform since 1992. The Foundation is a member of the National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN) and one of the many Free-Nets that are growing world-wide. We are working toward networking all the Tri-Cities Library assets (including public schools) together and providing a community Internet connection. Additional information (including annual reports) are available online.
1. Limited or non-existent access in rural communities
Planning for this project shows that assets exist in many communities that can provide the needed NII access. The challenges are to identify those assets, obtain agreements among the holders, and integrate them to form a community network. The RECA Foundation and the project partners will facilitate the formation of these networks. While some communities may have the ability to provide levels of "high end" access (e.g. video teleconferencing, audio, fiber optics, high speed GUI computing), this project will emphasize establishment of inexpensive data telecommunications that can be rapidly deployed to the highest percentage of the population. Three years of research and development of the Tri-Cities Free-Net has resulted in a turnkey community computing system that uses low cost, "off the shelf" technology. We have chosen Galacticomm’s Worldgroup software as the basic "engine" for this project. This system can be used, if desired, to augment existing assets in a particular community.
II. Application of Technology--serving the needs of everyone
Many of today’s projects and programs to provide telecommunications access emphasize technology but frequently ignore or discount at least some group of end user. Some community networks, for instance, require the use of a high end computer to run the Graphic User Interface (GUI). The rapidly growing World-Wide Web (WWW) can present a confusing or even unusable resource for those with low speed connectivity and/or no GUI (e.g. Mosaic) capability. Many community networks operate on expensive, Unix based systems.
This project emphasize access for the least capable user. For those communities who install the turnkey community computing system, the RECA Foundation will provide the Worldgroup software supported by Galacticomm. The company has a well established record for staying on the cutting edge of technology while providing access to all levels of user. The system provides full Internet interface, World-Wide Web (WWW) capability, Client/Server (C/S) Windows interface for high-end users, multi-lingual capability, and an underlying user friendly text based system for low-end users. The basic PC (e.g. IBM XT) with a monochrome monitor and one floppy drive can access the network using the text based menus and information sections. The high end user can access the same information using C/S technology as well as accessing more advanced networks like WWW. Additionally, public access for those without computers can be provided in convenient locations such as public libraries.
III. Most commercial services and some community networks do not serve all members of the community
This project has the support of existing organizations such as the state and local governments, public libraries, public schools, community-based organizations, and other non-profits entities. Active participation will come from the entire population served. The same public library principle of free public access is applied to community computing. The turnkey system is capable of simultaneous menu languages and can support multi-cultural needs.
IV. A training program is needed
This project will work with commercial providers to develop comprehensive education and training programs. The programs will include free, low cost community education, and full service (for a fee) programs. A major component of the programs will be a "Train the Trainer" course designed for librarians, public school teachers, and community volunteers. The trainers will then provide education and training services for non-profits, underserved populations (including individual tutoring if required), and the general public.
V. There is no local organization that exists to facilitate and help organize the various telecommunications projects and programs
Public resources such as public libraries, K-12 schools, colleges, universities, county and city governments are in varying degrees of NII and local community connectivity. The same holds true for other agencies and organizations like non-profits, private schools, and civic organizations. Programs that do exist are often disparate and uncoordinated. Many of the rural areas are simply left out of the picture altogether. Each organization has its own interests to preserve, separate funding sources to cultivate, and quite naturally cannot afford to "look out for the other guys".
The RECA Foundation is a publicly supported, charitable non-profit organization well suited to perform the role of local facilitation. The Foundation draws on the strength of its own research and experience, as well as the assets of the NPTN and other community computing networks. This project is not merely another undertaking or side activity of the RECA Foundation - it is what we do!
I. Limited or non-existent access in rural communities
The RECA Foundation has conducted extensive planning and research over the past three years in the area of NII (National Information Infrastructure) access in rural communities. Basic data telecommunications access is available anywhere that provides telephone service. Local dialing area and/or public access terminals, however, are rarely found. The "haves" in rural communities are those able to afford long distance charges, or are employed by or otherwise belong to a "connected" organization such as the U.S. Forest Service. This project will cause individual communities to focus on the "have-nots" and facilitate existing and planned assets to ensure continued equity among all users.
II. Application of Technology - serving the needs of everyone
The technology used in this project is highly varied since it relies on what already exists or is planned in a particular community. The planning process for this project has identified dozens of technology assets in nearby areas. Existing systems and programs such as Compass (Oregon ED-NET), WEdNet (Washington Education Network), Walla Walla Open Net (a community cooperative in Walla Walla, Wa), Palouse-Net (Moscow, Id area), R.O.T.C. (Oregon), county communications systems, and the U. S. Forest Service are but a few examples. The bottom line is that the very process of facilitating the collaborative use of the assets in each individual community will effectively address the goals and objectives of the NII. The Worldgroup software was selected because of the company’s long standing record of keeping up with or staying ahead of technology while not eliminating access for the least capable users. The participation of a wide range of public service organizations (government, libraries, schools, non-profits, etc.) will ensure access by all in a community.
III. Most commercial services and some community networks do not serve all members of the community
The "have-nots" need to be served as well as those who have or can readily obtain access. The large, commercial interests (telco’s, cable companies, software developers, etc.) are spending billions on the "Super Highway". Corporate, private, and government grantmaker’s limited funds can go a very long way toward serving the "last miles" of the have-nots through cost effective projects like this one. Collaboration of assets not only saves taxpayer’s money on existing and planned activities but enables cost effective spending.
IV. A training program is needed
The commercial developers can provide this service for those who pay for their particular service. This project provides for basic training and education from a public service perspective. Training will be provided for all level of users. Education on what "access" can do for individuals, business, and organizations will be tailored to each individual community.
V. There is no local organization that exists to facilitate and help organize the various telecommunications projects and programs
The project will build on two existing models: The NPTN’s (National Public Telecomputing Network) Rural Information Network; and the Tri-Cities Free-Net which has operated as a research and development platform since 1992. Lessons learned from these models as well as those of other community networks will be applied to each community’s unique assets and needs.
The planning project has resulted in an initial target population in rural counties of Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon, and Idaho. However, the Lewis & Clark "Team" are available to provide assistance to other areas in the Pacific Northwest. Grant applications have been submitted to help those communities that need outside funding assistance.
The RECA Foundation, with the assistance from its partners, will facilitate a three phase plan of action in participating communities. The Community Computing Network Project Guide (project guide - Appendix One) will be provided in each case.
The RECA Foundation is building a program to help rural communities get "connected". This project is one vehicle to allow us to do that. The basic idea is to draw on our experience as well as that of communities all over the world to help facilitate and coordinate assets in "your" community. There are usually a number of organizations in any given locale that have some degree of Internet (and other networks) access or at least some of the resources required for that access. The challenge is to find ways to pool those resources for the overall benefit of the community. We are not necessarily advocating Free-Nets in every community. Although the advantages of becoming an affiliate of the NPTN include programming such as Academy One (online K-12) and Teledemocracy, those programs can be available through a nearby Free-Net such as the TCFN. What we are advocating is at least some basic level of free Internet access for everyone. The libraries are playing a key role in accomplishing this goal but there are a number of issues involved. Should libraries only provide access to research data bases or should their services include e-mail, public forums, and Telnet/WWW access, for example? There are lots of ways to address these kinds of issues. In Seattle, the Seattle Public Library provides basic research access while the Free-Net (SCN) provides forums, e-mail, and other services. The two systems are physically co-located, time share phone lines, and access to one system can be made from the other. In the Tri-Cities, Washington, the TCFN provides e-mail and some Telnet menus while interconnecting with the public libraries and local governments. The Mid-Columbia Regional Library, for example, is directly accessible from the TCFN and provides extensive access to WWW and Gopher resources.
There are lots of examples of economies gained by collaboration among public resources (and interface with the private sector). What we will do is help facilitate a process that fits the needs of each individual community. We are not suggesting that we disrupt existing or planned projects or programs. We can, however, provide input from a community networking perspective. The project guide was developed over a three year period from lessons learned in developing the Tri-Cities Free-Net, liaison with other community networks, and the experience and guidance of organizations such as the Morino Institute and the NPTN. All communities served will provide successful results by the very nature of the process.
Phase One: Needs Assessment and Asset Identification (one day). An initial meeting with community representatives to introduce the Community Computing Network Project Guide and start a process to determine overall goals and objectives. This phase will also help determine existing assets.
Phase Two: Information Highway Workshop (two days). For those locations that desire additional education and training. Elements of the Project Guide will be covered as well as community specific curricula.
Phase Three: Community Network Implementation (ten days). Assistance in installation and operation of a fully functional community network.
Some communities may elect to only carry out Phase One while others will go beyond Phase Three with continued support from the RECA Foundation and/or partners.
What is the RECA FOUNDATION? We are a Washington non-profit organization, exempt from federal income tax as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and classified as a publicly supported non-profit organization.
The Foundation has operated the Tri-Cities Free-Net (a community computing network) as a demonstration project and research and development platform since 1992. The Foundation is a member of the National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN) and one of the many Free-Nets that are growing world-wide.
Both the partnerships and the community support have grown considerably both inside and outside of the Tri-Cities, Wa area. The RECA Foundation has recently (April, 1995) concluded agreements with the Franklin County to provide environmental and technical support for the Tri-Cities Free-Net (TCFN) as well as multiple phone lines for public access. CompuTech, a commercial Internet provider, is supplying free Internet service for the Free-Net. Additional partnerships with local libraries(e.g. Mid-Columbia Regional Library - see above), Educational Service Districts (e.g. ESD 123), non-profit organizations, government agencies, and private business are rapidly taking shape. The TCFN is a living example of the process that will be carried out by this project.
1. CompuTech--Lan/Wan, telecommunications, and Internet consultant and provider. Training and education services.
2. Communities in the Pacific Northwest.
Sustainability will be a natural outcome of each community network planned and/or developed from this project. Equally important are mechanism for growth. Appendix One discusses these issues in detail.
The planning process for this project has included group meetings with a number of participating communities - in effect, dry runs for the actual project. Well rounded representation is the norm with heavy reliance on public libraries, K-12 schools, other academic institutes, civic organizations, and other non-profits. The planning process also includes ongoing liaison via electronic mail with a growing number of community representatives. This project is not merely another undertaking or side activity of the RECA Foundation - it is what we do!
The "Train the Trainer" courses will provide for a pool of educators from the public libraries, schools and community organizations. This will provide for a continuing education program to ensure widespread usage by all members of the community.
Appendix One (Community Computing Network Project Guide) is a living document and is continually revised as we interact with more communities. Privacy, confidentiality and censorship are prime concerns and covered in Appendix 10 of the Guide. Reducing the gap between information "haves" and "have-nots" is the driving force behind what we do.
Targeted communities include at least three Indian Reservations, agricultural areas, and economically depressed regions. This project will supplement the efforts of other projects and programs by adding the community computing network perspective. The optional Worldgroup system even affords the opportunity to have a multi-lingual network.
Typical of local support for this project is what Mac Chambers, Superintendent of Sunnyside [Wa] Schools, had to say:
"Sunnyside School District No. 201 is currently serving 4174 students in its five schools .... Over 63% of the students within the district qualify for free or reduced lunch ... 64% of the students in the high school are Hispanic, 35% are Caucasian, 2% Native American and the rest Black American or Asian ... We are impressed with your project proposal, your dedication to the educational field at all levels, and your service to the surrounding area."
The Community Computing Network Project Guide (Appendix One) is a self-evaluation guide, a part of the plan to disseminate knowledge gained, and a living "model" document. The Guide as it exists today is the result of three years experience conducting the very project process. Experience gained as we work with individual communities will allow us to expand upon our efforts and accelerate the benefit to a broader community base. Additionally, the process for this project has already succeeded through the development, operation, and continued growth of the Tri-Cities Free-Net.
The Guide will be revised as a result of implementation in the target communities. The Guide, by its very nature, is and will remain somewhat generic. Specific lessons learned will be produced for each community served and will serve as supplements to the Guide. Distribution of both the Guide (and updates) and Lessons Learned will be via e-mail and specific listserves. Redistribution by any means (e.g. hard copy, electronic) is strongly encouraged and will ensure dissemination to a world-wide audience.
The "Train the Trainer" courses will provide for continuing education programs in each community. The RECA Foundation will monitor these programs to ensure they are kept up-to-date with technology changes. Monitoring will also ensure continued success of the overall project.
Those communities that elect the turnkey community computing system will have a built-in monitor for success. The system has an audit trail program that tracks system usage in detail. Combined with a well defined administration process, the system operators can "fine tune" the system to more closely match the community’s needs on a continual basis.
[Version One - March 13, 1995]
74 Kennewick, Wa 99336 Phone 509 586-6481 Tri-Cities Free-Net: modem: 509 543-2900 Telnet: tcfn.org e-mail: SYSOP@tcfn.org TCFN is an Affiliate of the National Public Telecomputing Network
Order your copy of the Community Computing Network Project Guide from Tri-Cities Free-Net, or read it at the URL http://www.swifty.com/TC95/cover.html.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Bruce McComb at TCFN@Delphi.com