One Laptop Per Child (OLPC): Helping to Close the Digital Divide

      

      One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is one of the most revolutionary mobile learning programs in recent history for the advancement of education in the developing world. Based on the premise that a laptop is at its core an educational resource, OLPC sees its mission of bringing XO laptops to some of the world's most impoverished countries as a movement to advance education and opportunity - not just technology.

      The power of OLPC lies in its XO laptop’s design, which makes it more compatible than the average laptop for its intended users in the developing world. It is rugged (like many of the locations where it’s used), water-proof, solar-powered, and has a special screen that allows users to read from it in direct sunlight. With its embedded wireless technology and peer-to-peer connectivity features, it helps address the digital divide across some of the world’s most remote areas. In terms of software, it combines a wide range of educational features that serve as learning tools for students who would traditionally lack access to things like a camera, calculator, or a web browser. Because of this, the main beneficiaries of the OLPC program are children in the developing world (living in remote/ impoverished/ disconnected areas) and the communities in which the laptops are distributed.

      Yet, despite its functionality, the OLPC program is not without its challenges, most of which center on lack of technical support for the XO machines (once delivered). Ultimately, the sustainability of the OLPC program will be dependent on whether its main set-backs are effectively addressed; otherwise, OLPC will not be sustainable in the long term. Specifically, some of its main barriers to sustainability include: cost of the XO machines (which presently is still greater than the intended $100), and the lack of effective customer/user support services (software and hardware) necessary to keep the laptops working. These challenges can be overcome with increased support from the private sector, minor modifications to the design of the XO, and increased technical training for individuals in the communities where the laptops are being delivered.