Mr. Patrick J. Finn, Managing Director, Human and Organizational Resources, La Plaza Telecommunity Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Cyd Strickland, Consultant, La Plaza Telecommunity Foundation, Inc.
The challenges posed by computer networking technology provides unseen vistas in our future. The manner in which we implement and integrate these technologies into our existing social frameworks will be a test of our ability as global citizens during the inevitable transitional period of change.
There are two distinct, but interdependent features, to this emerging paradigm. The first is the human element. The second is characterized by the technology. The venues for this challenge are numerous - none is better suited for examination than the Telecommunity. "On a global scale, the telecommunity is renewing participation in community life, providing greater democratic access to local decision-making bodies and developing economic opportunities." (Strickland, 1994) Telecommunities offer new hope for individual success and community revitalization.
A Telecommunity is a locally owned and operated network which provides free or low-cost networked computer connectivity and infrastructure to individuals, not-for-profit organizations, civic and service groups through local dial-in or public access terminals in a community center. The Telecommunity links the concept of "tele" or technological element, and "community" encompassing the human element. How effectively these features are integrated into our communities as we approach the 21st century will measure the vision of the social/technological revolution. It is our thesis that local content and interaction will make the telecommunity a dynamic force in building and redefining community. This will be especially important in rural areas like Taos, New Mexico.
The La Plaza de Taos Telecommunity Foundation Inc., a grass-roots non-profit organization, was formed in August 1993 to develop the La Plaza Telecommunity, a next-generation community-based computer networking system. It provides vast resources to a small rural community that were previously available only in larger urban areas. La Plaza went on-line in Taos on December 6, 1994. It provides access to the widest possible array of information and communications resources to all Taosenos and other Northern New Mexicans, regardless of physical disability, economic status, cultural identity, age, or degree of computer literacy. La Plaza provides access through public dial-in access. For those without computers and modems, a staffed community center is available with 15 terminals. Our system is based on a centralized UNIX server connected to a 28.8K modem bank, two computer labs, the Telecommunity Center, and the Internet via a T-1 connection.
The primary theme of this paper addresses how social and communicative needs of our communities can be met through the introduction of Telecommunities. Although there is much optimism in this premise, we are aware, "... it appears that developments in the changing world order could do as much harm as good to highly vulnerable rural communities." (Catelli, 1994) In such a rapidly changing environment of uncertainty, the rural social sciences, as advocates for rural well-being, are challenged to find new ways of solving problems. Within this environment, it is vital the key elements of success in establishing and sustaining Telecommunity are shared.
Community is defined as a group of active agents with something in common--interests, problems, needs and concerns. The introduction of computer networked technologies seek to both enliven and revitalize the existing strengths of rural communities. We will examine five core issues that address implementation and integration of computer networks into a community. These are: social/communication, economic, political, cultural, and meaningfulness. While these issues are synthesized within the community fabric, they are the most critical for community developers to engage in as they look at the short and long-term issues of Telecommunity conception.
Telecommunity organizers must pay particular attention to how people are brought together in community and the ways in which local communication can be enhanced by computer networking. "...Analysis...should focus, above all, on how well the needs of people who live in rural areas are served by the means available to pursue social goals." (Bryant, 1994) These issues apply to both computer-literate users and those who have never touched a keyboard. While universal Internet connectivity is a global objective, local content must be provided that brings community members together for a purpose, whether it be to discuss local planting times, to find a home for a new puppy, advertise a local play or introduce human service agencies to the technology. We have found the medium of stories to be instrumental in introducing people to La Plaza’s Telecommunity. Stories address, in common everyday language, how people use the technology to connect with each other and the information they seek. They convince civic leaders of the need for continued funding. Most importantly, they serve to bridge geographical isolation to the larger global community.
First, we must identify people’s needs which can be served by the Telecommunity. Every community has very complex set of needs and not all can be addressed by the technology. However, at La Plaza, and in many similar rural communities, the predominant issues are health, housing and employment.
1994 brought the need for a National Health agenda to heightened public awareness in the United States. Solutions to the health care crisis were seriously considered for the first time both in Congress and at the Executive Level. For our purposes, we will explore the positive impact a telecommunity can have in community health care.
The Internet now contains abundance of medical information on-line. To make it easily available locally, Telecommunity designers can set up bulletin boards and Web or Lynx pointers towards sources of information. Such services might include local health providers, children’s services, women’s services, cardiology, oncology, rural health information, worldwide health information, and prenatal care. Information on emergency medical emergency conditions could include CPR, choking, bleeding and childhood diseases. On-line discussion groups with health professionals can be established. The Telecommunity can also provide information for treatment of simple emergencies at remote clinics where no doctor is on-site. Listings should include traditional as well as alternative medicine practitioners.
Health care information addressing the unique needs of the Taos community are now available on-line. This information includes the Diabetes Knowledge Base for the local Pueblo Indians, prenatal care in response to the high incidence of teenage pregnancy, AIDS information, and Spanish-language health information.
Locating affordable housing can be a lengthy and frustrating process. Telecommunities can bring many of the sources for housing together on local systems. Housing information should include sources for: the local housing authority, available housing, shelters for the homeless, and government programs and subsidies. By collaborating with local agencies, Telecommunities can streamline the process of applying for subsidized and government housing by putting much of the paperwork on-line. The key to success is working closely with local agencies. Once these institutions are on-line, the Telecommunity must also address access issues (See "Access") by placing terminals in local public places.
Networked computers are enabling new jobs and new ways to work. In the near future new jobs will be created that were unheard of a decade ago. Telecommunities can assist the employment market by bringing employers together with potential employees, but also in job creation, and providing job skills. "The information age has replaced the industrial age with lasting implications for learning, doing business, and communicating ..How and where people work can change as electronic technology becomes more widely available. Time and places blur as the pace of life and work quickens through technology application and use." (Johnsrud & Fowler , 1991)
In Taos, La Plaza’s employment area contains job listings from the New Mexico Dept. of Labor. This area of the system also posts information on the latest resume writing tips, interview practice sessions, networking advice, budget assistance, success stories, and salary scales. Access to the Internet encourages telecommuting and technology-based employment. To reach the unemployed, public access terminals are located in public sites.
Job creation is equally important in rural area, and Taos is no exception. The Telecommunity provides employment for several members of our community. In addition, by increasing local infrastructure and opportunities for communication on local and global levels, we hope to encourage local employers to expand their business and create new jobs for the community. In future, we are targeted the development of groupware tools for professionals, and will foster the expansion of locally-based technobusiness to support the growing infrastructure.
In developing the infrastructure to support the social and communication needs of a community, Telecommunity organizers must also identify how to bring people to the Telecommunity. We have identified three critical issues in this area: Community Outreach and Collaboration, Training and Support, and Access.
Like all Telecommunity organizers, La Plaza recognizes it will be evaluated on how well it meets local needs. Identifying these needs can only be accomplished through extensive outreach and collaboration. Any community is comprised of many diverse elements. The Telecommunity seeks to integrate them both informationally and socially. This entails more than introducing the Telecommunity concept to the community. It includes demonstrating to the community at-large what a Telecommunity can do for them, providing regular forums for citizens to air their concerns, ask questions, be heard and participate in development efforts, as well as to identify and recruit community "champions" and volunteers.
The most natural collaborations for a Telecommunity to form are with those agencies in the community already in the information business--libraries and schools. Many of the Free-Nets and Community Networks around the United States were originally started at local Universities or Community Colleges. In Taos, the University of New Mexico-Taos has been instrumental in provided La Plaza with office space and some funding. In turn, La Plaza provides an on-site staffed computer center and Internet classes.
Telecommunities must also find start-up and sustaining funding partners within the community. (See section on Economics.) This is critical to maintain a no or low-cost service to the community. Relationships built with city and country governments can often provide seed money. Corporate alliances must be pursued as well for funding and equipment donations. By providing necessary services, many Telecommunities receive major funding from their local communities. And other sponsors are often anxious to assist.
For example, public access television stations are always looking for local content to air. We have found our local public access station anxious to run our video series on how to use La Plaza’s services. Not only does this promote getting new users on-line, but also assists with the overwhelming task of educating the local community. However, the primary collaboration is with the community itself. This requires going out into the streets, offices and homes and talking and listening. One way that this can be done is to hold regular Community Advisory Forums, both on-line and in person. The Telecommunity sits back and listens.
We have found issues of training and support to be among the most critical in introducing citizens to Telecommunity. Much of La Plaza’s success is our emphasis on hands-on training and our staffed help desk. Meeting these needs is a monumental task, but one that cannot be neglected. Programs must be designed specifically with the end-user in mind. We must train in the use of the system, but also facilitate the users search for meaningfulness. "By identifying users interests and personal needs, they are off on a journey limited only by their imaginations." (Finn & Strickland, 1995) Many Telecommunity organizers attest that if the community knows it will receive significant hand-holding in the transitional period they will be more open to accepting the technology.
Instructing large segments of a local population can be an overwhelming task. We recommend initializing a pyramid effect through a train-the-trainer program. These programs solicit volunteers with advanced skills to act as trainers for the ever increasing number of users. They also enlist teachers to train their students and librarians to train library patrons. The trainers themselves become community champions, enthusiastic to share their knowledge with others. The training is intended to facilitate local communication opportunities, but also global information and educational pursuits. Creating community-wide awareness of these resources is the responsibility of the Telecommunity.
Instruction is typically face-to-face in a public computing center, supplemented by on-line tutorials. Other training forums can be found on public access television or through on-line tutorials. Specialized training for individual groups, such as science and math teachers, city employees and the business community targets specific needs.
Less than 20% of the households in the United States own a computer with a modem. Moreover, in many rural areas, such as Taos, as much as 30% of households are without telephones. On the national level, everyone from President Clinton to Newt Gingrich urges the adoption of universal access to networked information technology. In rural communities, Telecommunities can act to provide no or low-cost universal access and help facilitate the future use of this technology and its effect on society. Therefore, we must not only provide the training to use the Telecommunity, we must also provide public access to the technology.
There are several ways a Telecommunity can provide access: a Telecommunity center, public access terminals in libraries, post offices and retail stores, shared computer labs, and computers on loan. Public-access, multi-media terminals at convenient locations provide broad community access. These terminals should be designed to take into account physical disabilities, cultural diversity, language, and degree of computer literacy. Even if funding is not available to purchase equipment, many government and corporate institutions donate equipment to needy agencies as they upgrade. Access to the La Plaza Telecommunity is provided by public dial-in.
For those without computers, we have a 12-hour per day staffed Telecommunity Center with 15 terminals. The staff person provides customer support for users face-to-face, on-line and on the telephone. In future, we hope to provide terminals at more remote locations outside the local calling area, as well as libraries and other public places. We were fortunate to receive equipment donations from corporate donors. In addition, volunteers and staff are working to expand our local content to provide forums for differing needs and interests. The system is free to the user, with up to 15 hours of access time per month.
Second only to training and support, Telecommunities are inevitably overwhelmed with myriad economic issues. From the beginning, developers must consider start-up costs, the sustainability factor, common and unique services, and affordability of use. In addition, economic development of the region as a whole must be part of the vision for the Telecommunity. Cisler (1995) identifies several possible sources of financial support for Telecommunities. They include: volunteer donations and subscription fees, local businesses, cash and equipment donations, Internet service providers (through commercial partnering arrangements), corporate and foundation grants, schools and universities, libraries, and local, state or province and national funding. To this list, we must add offering commercial services. If established as a not-for-profit, community service and/or educational entity, the Telecommunity can pursue grants from corporations, state and federal governments, and foundations. These granting agencies can also stipulate the services offered by a Telecommunity remain free or at cost to its users. This limitation can hinder any possible for-profit ventures. However, in these tumultuous economic times, these granting sources are notoriously unpredictable.
On the other hand, if the Telecommunity is a for-profit business, acting as an Internet provider and/or offering other commercial services, it must consider if it can provide free or low-cost user fees to the community. Weighing the cost/overhead versus the delivery of service will play a significant role in developing a business plan. La Plaza is developing a combination of approaches. If broad-base support is available in a community, a not-for-profit could be supported by a for-profit enterprise. Recent success of Telecommunities indicates that unprecedented usage can be their downfall. The cost of providing support, human and technical, increases exponentially as system usage expands. As granting sources decrease, profits from the commercial enterprise can be applied to sustain the not-for-profit Telecommunity. Several such projects are currently under development around the United States. Affordability of Use Telecommunity, like any other utility, must be affordable. Rural areas in the United States and Canada are characterized by relatively small customer bases extended over large geographical regions. The difficulty in implementing "universal service," which provides low-cost telephone service in these service areas, are similar to the challenges faced by communities attempting to get onto the information superhighway. Without subsidies, such as the Universal Service Fund in the United States, affordable telephone service to small communities would not be possible. As implied, Telecommunities are committed to democratic equity of access to the information superhighway. Free or low-cost user fees will ensure access and encourage broad-base involvement.
The first step in conceiving a Telecommunity is to contact those communities who have operational systems, investigate the various approaches, and apply those that have the greatest likelihood for success in their community. The next phase is to pursue start-up capital or funding. Most Telecommunities are begun by a handful of individuals with lots of volunteer effort, and little capital. Start-up operations must consider a variety of costs including setting up an Internet node, what type of technology will be used (software and hardware), services and support offered, who will be served, and number of staff needed. Costs must be carefully determined and available for consideration from any of the funding sources.
Collaborative efforts to determine those services must go hand-in-hand with establishing the network for funding agencies, both inside and outside of the community. If a community decides to be a nonprofit, they can seek local, state, and federal governmental and foundation funding. These should be planned well in advance, as they usually take 6 months to a year. Many of the major foundations have been slow to understand the concept of community networks. Money from these sources has been sparse. However, this has provided an excellent opportunity to teach them about the importance of the telecommunity movement. Our experience is that equipment grants are the easiest to procure, particularly used or surplus equipment from corporations and government. Our sources are also often willing to fund special projects, such as on-line medical care, collaborative efforts with other government and not-for-profit agencies, or installing networks in K-12 educational institutions.
No single issue is more important for the long-term outlook of a Telecommunity than financial sustainability. As Michaelson (1995) notes, many Telecommunities serve rural areas with declining economic bases, with little personal discretionary income and high unemployment rates. User fees, if charged, do not cover long-term operating costs. Yet, the Telecommunity itself is an investment in the local infrastructure, similar to a new school or road.
Telecommunities must explore ways in which long-term sustainability can be achieved. A professional business plan promoting state-of-the-art computing services must be developed. In addition to grants, local funding and user fees/donations, commercial options, both local and global, should be explored. Some of these include:
*professional services databases *telemedicine facilities *advertising *large volume institutional users *commercial partnerships offering gateways to other commercial services *dedicated-line access to the Internet; and *educational services
There are many educational services that the telecommunity can engage and charge a fee. These include: specialized training for professionals, developing educational materials for the local and Internet communities, and consulting for other communities coming on-line. It will take creative funding solutions to sustain the Telecommunity in the years to come. We are still in the infancy stages and we must seek new answers to create sustainable systems.
There are a host of national and global factors impacting local communities in the area of economic development or restructuring. Johnsrud and Fowler (1991) identify demographic changes, taxation, spending, and regulatory policies, increased international trade and competition, changed production-employment-resource relationships and domestic and international debt burdens." Given these conditions, communities with a communication and information infrastructure will be able to attract and establish new businesses.
Small businesses will be responsible for the majority of new job creation in the 1990’s. This poses advantages and disadvantages for rural communities. Without the communication and information infrastructure to sup port this trend, these communities face the danger of complete disenfranchisement. Communities with telecommunity infrastructure will be far more attractive to business wishing to relocate to smaller communities. Local residents will also have the advantage of new non-geographical job markets and the capability of starting tech-related enterprises.
The telecommunity movement addresses this issue by creating infrastructure and in encouraging programs that facilitate both new business start-ups and relocation of businesses. During this transitional phase the telecommunity must take a leadership role to identify workable solutions. Many people, particularly non-computer users, simply do not understand the potential or the ramifications of the technology. To mitigate the workload for the Telecommunity, they will need to collaborate with other community leaders to develop action plans for economic restructuring.
A secondary strategy is to optimize pre-existing enterprises with implementation of technology-related applications. In this regard, it is critical the Telecommunity work with the business community, identifying how revenues can be increased and business expanded. We’ve found social and technology-related topical work groups maximize available time for the over-worked business community. Enterprising members of the community could also create additional employment by consulting in this area, thus assisting the work of the Telecommunity.
In smaller communities, Telecommunities are often assumed to be all things for technology-related matters. Therefore, it is essential operational boundaries are clear to the community. The Telecommunity cannot afford to undertake projects which would distract from their mission as facilitators of the community’s infrastructure. For this reason, it is vital champions are cultivated within the community to assume responsibility for coordinating different application-specific endeavors. Encouraging others to leverage off the Telecommunity will be a strategic step in actuating community involvement.
At this writing, legislation is being drafted at the state and federal levels in the U.S. The general public is hardly cognizant of the changes these new laws will enact. Once again, the gulf between representative government and the people is growing wider. The U.S. government is rapidly adopting telecommunications technology, but its legislative efforts are limited to those who can afford access. As Mazmanian & Wilhem (1994 ) note. "The challenge to policy makers is in crafting sound communications policy given the complexity and dynamism of the telecommunications arena. Whatever else will be required, the conventional concerns of communications policy with the freedom of speech, privacy and security, universal service, and government regulation of a monopolistic or monopoly-like telecommunications industry will remain central to these discussions.
Providing the appropriate environment in which technologies can succeed or fail on their own merits is always difficult, since policy-makers can never factor in all of the possible outcomes, intended or unintended, which affect public interest."
The sophistication and content of new state initiatives varies widely. As people become increasingly dependent on electronic media for news and information, the policy surrounding these issues will weigh heavy on the fabric of democracy. "....television has surged ahead of other media in focusing public attention on issues of importance. The effect of media is particularly pronounced among the younger and less educated, who are likely to take their political cues from television." (Mazmanian & Wilhem,1994) According to a recent Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press survey, 50 percent of those under 35 say they rely solely on television for their political news. (Georges, 1993)
The challenge for a democratic society entering the 21st century is incorporating these new technologies. Telecommunities, as grass-roots efforts, must assume much of the local education responsibility. Telecommunities should act collaboratively with local residents, local public interest groups and lobbying organizations to influence the development of telecommunications policy. Several critical issues should be addressed at all levels, including: horizontal citizen interaction, on-line voting and registration, security and privacy, and citizen access to policy-as-it-happens. The outcomes of these issues will determine how the very basic issues of human rights, political freedom, and enfranchisement will be impacted in the near future.
At the core of Telecommunity must be a foundation that respects racial and cultural diversity. Diversity extends into the basic fabric of American life. It is being reshaped as we re-examine the roles of the individual, the family, the community, the educational system, the church and state. Lifestyles are constantly redefined with single-parent families, working couples, and educational institutions assuming responsibilities formerly reserved for the family. Communities are faced with a wide range of problems including poverty, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, class and racial strife, and AIDS. Many communities are characterized by a sense of hopelessness and are overwhelmed by the challenge of rapid change, deteriorating infrastructure, and meeting the needs of their diverse constituencies.
On the other hand, there is a growing need for renewing bonds with family, friends and community. Conferring a sense of identity and self-worth to our youth is fundamental as they will inherit the political, social, environmental, and ethical problems we leave behind. We also have a tremendous responsibility to instill a sense of meaningfulness and hope. By working towards viable solutions now, we can impart a sense of well-being which will better prepare them for the challenging lives they will lead in the next century. This sense of support is one of the single most important factors in rebuilding and reestablishing our communities. If a resident, of any age, feels they have somewhere to turn or options to explore they might be able to face the difficulties ahead. Telecommunities have a responsibility, as community activists and leaders, to be responsive to these needs as we dramatically reshape the social foundation of the community.
Mario Marino (1994) tells a story about a man who relied on an on-line support group for Alzheimer care-givers. He was unable to leave his wife alone. Throughout her illness, he found his support, his friends and his solace on this on-line system. A recent posting to the COMMUNET listserv (April 2, 1995) told a story of a grandfather who introduced his grandson, a 10 year old with severe Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), to the resources of the Internet. This involvement turned this young man’s life around. He no longer is inattentive and uncontrollable. He has found intense and abiding interests as an outlet for his intelligence and energy. It will be stories like these that lead people towards the kind of positive social change empowered by this technology.
In addition, for a culture to flourish it must encourage the quest for new ideas and the pursuit of the spiritual. Henry Cisneros, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development said, "We see the arts not as an amenity, not as a luxury, but as a necessity in building America’s communities." This not only includes new ventures in the arts and humanities but also the preservation of cultural wealth.
In communities across America, books are rotting, paintings deteriorating, languages and cultures are disappearing, and valuable ideas being lost. We can not afford to sacrifice these treasures. They nourish our spirit, sustain meaning in our lives, and give hope in tumultuous times. The emerging technologies can, at the very least, help preserve these riches. Beyond this, it can enable global dialogue, cultural exchange and cultural commerce. A report by National Institute of Standards & Technology (1993) suggests: "The promise and vision of the NII is that all Americans will have access to a wealth of information in a number of arenas, from health care to history, from poetry to physics. In the next century the NII will be the means by which most Americans receive information, and the data, the imagery and the sounds it conveys will shape the very ideas of what culture is...."
Telecommunities must participate in developing local arts and humanities content. They can also act as the tool by which the world of arts and humanities is brought to the community, allowing everyone to share their ideas, thoughts, and creative energies within the community and throughout the world. "Our literature, our performing arts, the holdings of our museums, archives and libraries and above all the creative energies of our people will provide the educational and cultural content of the NII." (Getty, 1994)
Local Telecommunity will play a major role in re-shaping the vision of the community it serves. Representing the problems and the collective riches in a balanced manner will be a challenge that must be met with equanimity.
Finally, we will address how the Telecommunity can facilitate the pursuit of meaningfulness on computer networks. The success of any Telecommunity is ultimately dependent on meeting a wide variety of personal needs. We use Goulet’s term of meaningfulness to address the issue of personal relevance in a Telecommunity.
We have found one of the greatest barriers to bringing people into cyberspace is facilitating the non-computer-users quest for personal relevance. (Feldenstein, 1993) Telecommunities bear a heavy burden in working with individuals to identify their needs and interests and finding the relevant areas on the Internet. Once this connection is accomplished, the user then most often has the motivation to take their learning farther. Fulfilling this need for connection is the key to acceptance and adoption of this new technology.
As storytellers, we would like to share two tales from residents pursuing personal relevance on the La Plaza system: A group of county employees was sent to take our 2-hour QuickStart class on system usage. They were unenthusiastic and attended only because it was required of them. However, by the time they hit Gopherspace they were nudging and whispering to each other about all the great government information on-line. A member of the local Taos Pueblo came in to use the system to search for some local government information. She was able to find legislation on land use and treaty information for research on a bottle-necked piece of reservation land.
Telecommunities can play a vital role in redefining the character and roles of our rural communities in the coming years. They must work at all levels of their communities to empower users, promote free and democratic access to global computing resources, build on the strength and commitment of the locale, value diversity, encourage commercial growth and vitality, and influence telecommunications policy at the local, state and federal levels. This compelling, but achievable vision is one which can promote positive social change and well-being for all people in North America.
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Cyd Strickland has been working with computers over 20 years. She is a consultant for community networks and collaborative on-line learning programs. She is currently working with La Plaza de Taos Telecommunity in Taos, New Mexico and is also a Ph.D. student at the Fielding Institute in Human and Organizational Systems. Ms. Strickland holds a B.A. degree in Management and Leadership from Antioch College, and a M.A. in Organizational Systems from Fielding. She has published, with Patrick Finn, several articles about La Plaza and the community networking movement. Ms. Strickland was the founding employee of Cisco Systems, Inc., an international telecommunications corporation.
Patrick J. Finn, cofounder and Managing Director for Human and Organizational Development of the La Plaza, has been developing community projects in the Taos region over the last decade. He is also the Director of the Computer Department at University of New Mexico - Taos. Before working on the La Plaza project, Mr. Finn developed arts projects which highlighted and promoted area arts and artists.
Mr. Finn presents nationally on Community Networking, including the recent "Ties That Bind" community networking conference sponsored by Apple Computer and the Morino Institute. His recent publications include:" Communicating What Works For Children, Youth And Families," and "Community Networking: Bringing Communities On-line." Mr. Finn’s recent collaborations include the Office of Technology Assessment and the Alberta Multicultural Commission. He is also collaborating with the Freedom Forum Foundation and the Downs Education Center in the area of Media Literacy.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Cyd Strickland at cyd@laplaza.taos.nm.us
Mr. Patrick Finn at patfinn@laplaza.taos.nm.us