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Information communication technologies facilitate through electronic means the creation, storage, management and distribution of information http://www.developmentgateway.com.au/). ICT’s encompass a wide spectrum of communcications software, including: television, radio, internet, satalites and Mobile Phones.These are can be segregated further into two main cateogries, referred to as Old and New forms of ICT’s. The old forms of ICT’s include Newspapers, Radio and television whilest the newer forms of ICT’s involve satalites, networked computers and the the Internet.
ICT’s have proven particularly usefull within educational fields and enhancing societies knowledge and grasp of the present forms of communication technologies. Due to the many uses of ICT’s in a developing country context, many donors, governments and NGO’s have long supported rollout programs for these technologies-providing radios to schools, community groups and refugees, supporting the expansion of rural telephone services (http://www.researchictafrica.net)[1] Specific areas where ICT’s have been used to benefit the community include, India, Jamaica and South Africa. The promotion of ICT’s within lesser developed nations is due to the concerns of a growing divide between the developed nations and the lesser developed nations in terms of technology and the impact such a situation would have on the economy and survival of lesser developed countries. Many have argued that unless less technologically advanced areas have a chance to catch up, the increasing technological advances in developed nations will only serve to exacerbate the already-existing economic gap between technological "have" and "have not" areas and thus broadening the Digital Divide between countries. (http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/)[2]. Socities reliance and implementation of information technology systems within the work place have greatly disproportianted the opportunities of thoes who have little if no experience with the present technological systems.
The Implementation of ICT’s have enhanced the living standards of communities within impovrished countries, particularly in skilling and training community members in order to gain access and success within the workforce. Further analysis reveals that ICT’s are invariably instrumental in meeting human needs, helping to provide people with, a source of food supply, jobs, medical needs and access to information (http://web.mit.edu/~kken/Public/PAPERS/Intro_Sage.html)[3]. ICT’s provide for a broad spectrum of human needs and seek to implement updated forms of technological equipment, like the Internet within underdeveloped countries, in an attempt to close the growing gap in the digital devide across nations. Richard Curtain suggests that ICT programs undertaken within impovrished countries aim towards eight main goals. These include, the Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger for citizens by providing better access to jobs and more reliable income rates, through training and specialty skilling. Equalization of womens rights and wage rates. Improvements within the levels of primary education for the youths within the country, improve educational rates, literacy rates and introduce youths to present technologies such as the Internet , to improve technological knowledge for the emerging generation and improve future job opportunities. Provision of higher health, standards and living, through the supply of of proper medical equipment to combat diseases, and a general decrease child mortality rates. The development of job opportunities for youths , between 15 and 24, through the provision of skill trainning within technological equipment, ie Internet and computers and telecommunications devices. These ICT programs aim to provide for the development and trainning of youths within underdveloped countries in order to insure their future success within the workplace, and therefore improving the countries economic capital.
Curtain Richard, (2004) Information and communications technology: help or hinderance? http://www.developmentgateway.com.au/jahia/webdav/site/adg/shared/CurtainICT4DJan04.pdf[4] (accessed on: 11/10/2005)
SearchWebServices.com, (2004), ICT, http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/gDefinition/0,294236,sid26_gci928405,00.html [5] (accessed on: 15/10/2005)
Keniston. K, (2003), The four digital devides, Sage Publishers Dehli, http://web.mit.edu/~kken/Public/PAPERS/Intro_Sage.html [6] (accessed on: 13/10/2005)
Modified by: --Clinton Wong 09:56, 28 Oct 2005 (EST)
