Endless Network and Teach For America announced they will distribute up to 400 computers to support students’ ability to participate in distance learning during the coronavirus pandemic. The computers run Endless OS, which provides reliable access to online content, curriculum, and apps through an asynchronous, or intermittent, internet connection. Students receiving the computers will be able to access learning materials selected by educators, enabling distance learning at home regardless of reliable connectivity. These computers are the first donation by Endless OS Foundation, a new non-profit organization launched by Endless Network, and are the first of nearly 1,000 computers being deployed through non-profit partnerships.
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According to the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 14 percent of school-age children — more than nine million children in total — don’t have internet access at home, and as a result are unable to effectively participate in distance learning. Lack of access to a computer and to reliable internet is an issue often referred to as the Digital Divide and disproportionately affects households in low-income communities. The digital divide became a major issue in the spring of 2020 as schools nationwide closed and transitioned to distance learning in response to COVID-19. Endless OS provides a solution for students by running customized apps that enable access to publicly-available learning materials preloaded from the internet. By harnessing storage and preloading content, it’s possible to deliver core content and tools to students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to easily use them.
With its expansive network of educators, TFA will help shape the pedagogical content on these donated computers, which will be distributed to urban and rural students in New York City, the Bay Area, Washington, D.C., South Carolina, the Greater Delta in Mississippi and Arkansas, and South Louisiana whose families lack computer access or reliable internet connectivity at home. Endless OS Foundation plans to work with additional education non-profit organizations and school districts to bring more computers running Endless OS to families who need them.
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