Information technology facilitates human development in a wide variety of means. It enables users to communicate, to learn, to write, to organize themselves personally and financially and to help themselves in a variety of different means.
People in low-income communities use this technology to meet their individual needs in the same manner as everybody else. They begin using applications that appear meaningful to them and then they expand their usage to more applications that enable them to improve their lives.
A community presence on the Web can facilitate the integration of information technology to the community in a meaningful manner. The community presence on the Web creates a relevance for the community that assists in promoting the usage of the technology. Furthermore, it can help create the demand for access that is vital to disseminating the technology to all communities.
Participation in the policy and political debate through the Web is still in its infancy. How this will ultimately play out remains to be seen. However, the Internet is clearly beginning to play a key role in the democratic process. The City of Austin, for example, has information that enables citizens to lean more about participation on citizen Boards and Commissions.
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