Monday 05 October 10:30 – 13:00 YF3 Interactive Session Room C Policy and Regulation: Connect School, Connect Community Technological, market, policy and regulatory developments have expanded the boundaries of people and communities connected to basic voice services, largely due to the success of mobile networks. While new technologies promise widespread Internet access, connectivity is still a dream for many children, women, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, and others living in rural areas. How can we replicate the mobile miracle to achieve the goal of promoting widespread Internet access and make the right to communicate a reality for all? One answer may lie in connecting schools to the Internet. Connecting schools holds the promise of bringing the Internet within reach of all young people and ensuring the right to universal education, for girls and boys, rich and poor. Promoting the Internet in schools also opens the door to the expanding universe of digital libraries and other knowledge resources such as open universities, e-learning, training programmes for ICT-based careers, and training about responsible online behavior. Connecting schools can connect entire communities. Women’s groups can use school Internet facilities for career training, literacy development, education or e-commerce opportunities. Schools can be equipped with assistive technologies to open the Internet to persons with disabilities. Connecting schools in rural or under-served areas or in areas populated by indigenous people expands the boundaries of connected communities even further just as using low-cost laptops or smart phones can help make connecting schools more affordable. Once a school in a previously un-connected locale has an Internet connection, the network can be extended to local government offices, health care services and commercial use. 102