Community technology centers support the use of information technology to improve adult literacy and education achievement. The U.S. Department of Education's Community Technology Centers (CTC) program provides disadvantaged residents of economically distressed urban and rural communities with access to technology and related training.

In FY 2002, the Department funded 54 CTC projects across the country. The CTC program continued its support of expanded access to technology in disadvantaged communities, with a strong focus on the use of technology to enhance learning outcomes for adults and their children. Programs were required to provide, at a minimum, adult education and family literacy services. These included General Educational Development (GED) test preparation, English language instruction, and adult basic education classes and programs. A study of 1999-2000 grantees conducted by SRI International (Penuel et al, 2000) reported that most community technology centers offered a technology skills program with training in the use of software and the Internet. Most also taught technical or hardware skills. Approximately half of those CTC grantees offered programs for developing job skills and improving academic performance, with about a third offering GED preparation, adult high school, and ESL programs.

CTC Partners and Technical Assistance

The America Connects Consortium (ACC) provides technical assistance to CTC projects across the country. The ACC website has assembled a range of resources, tools, guides and web links related to creating and expanding community technology centers. The site also includes a wealth of information and resources related to CTC grantees.

• Contact Information and Links to Community Technology Centers
• Program Information Resources
• Collection of ACC Resources
• Noteworthy Practices:
  Staff Development for Adult Education Instructors MS WORD and
  Technology and Reading Instruction MS WORD
• Site Visits Conducted in 2003
• Keys to Sustainability: Part One and Part Two

Contact Information for FY 1999-2002 Information

Diane DeMaio
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-7240