Low-Cost Laptops for Kids in Need
Monday, April 4th, 2005
Low-Cost Laptops for Kids in Need: “Nicholas Negroponte and some MIT colleagues are working to help hundreds of millions of kids in developing countries. Their idea is to create rugged, internet- and multimedia-capable laptop computers that cost $100 apiece.”
(Via Wired News.)
Many of our Autistic,Asperger,Learning Disabled, and students with small motor deficulities need access to laptop computers. Most of our nations elementary schools and families cannot afford to provide laptops to all the students that need them. If a student is still avoiding writing in the third or fourth grade, because they have cognitive and/or small motor difficulities, being able to use a laptop for all writen work in school (and a computer or laptop at home) would open up their mind and enable them achieve proficiency when they are doing written assignments. I personally know of two students that need access to a laptop during their classes to be able to do their writen work. Right now they are giving up because writing legably is extremly difficult for them. Our nations schools must also be able to provide these students with the tools they need to soar!
Well, there are alternatives for writing. I’ve recommended AlphaSmart products for years to good effect.
The situation in the post is different in that they want fully functioning laptops for more than just writing. But, if it’s just writing you want AlphaSmart is your game.
I have been trying to get a lap top for my stepson since he came to live with us in the second grade and it was determined that he has learnign disabilities. He is now in the eight grade and never learned cursive — he prints everything and ususally it is illegible! Please help me if there is somewhere to turn…thank you.
The project that this post refers to is aimed initially at developing countries, not the US. However, there may be some spillover to this country at some point.
However, until then, have you considered an AlphaSmart keyboard? Their Neo is $200 and a wondderful tool. http://www.alphasmart.com
i am a visional impair kid and i am 13 year old. i need a apple laptop for me to do things faster because its takes along to complete things because vision probelm .
i hope you can help me with this need.
- thanks , peace moore
Peace moore: this post is not about Macs, it’s about a low cost laptop for developing countries. The laptop will run linux, not Mac OS.
hello i am trying to get help to get my daughter a laptop computer you see my daughter has spinal muscalar atrophy and has always been in a wheelchair she has just had surgery and she has been through so much in her 14 years i just wish i could do this for her i just cant afford to .if anyone could help it would make her so happy. thank you very much.
I have a son who has two rare diseases involving the leg and both hips. Medical bills are forever coming for surgeries. He also has a speech problem. I would love for him to have a laptop so he can learn as much as possible, since he will not be able to do much in the physical labor field. Please help me if you can (single mom) and may God bless you.
Florence: As far as I know, this project is just for people in developing countries, at least as it’s being touted now. That may change at some point. Have you read abut the project?
I think it’s wonderful that people want to help the kids in developing countries to learn to be productive and competitive! I also think it would be wonderful if some people wanted to help our special needs kids here. I am a single, disabled mother trying to raise 2 children on 650 dollars a month. One of my children is autistic with writing, math and social disabilities. I have been searching for months trying to find a resource to help him with a computer that he can carry back anmd forth to school—that I can afford to purchase for him. You know, I’m about ready to give up. There are sites for kids in wheelchairs, profoundly retarded and every other disorder you can think of. Are this country’s autistic people not also allowed to learn and become productive contributing members of the world society? I do apologize for standing on my soap box, but Being a poor person in this country, and needing help, I’m a little tired of being told that ” our program is for developing countries.” If the people of THIS country don’t look out for thier own IT will BECOME a “developing Country.”
Melody: The project written about here has expanded to include kids in the US. Also, I did a simple search on google and found a lot of resources, some of which might bear fruit for you:
Google search: computer donations kids