Open Source Eliminates Lack of Resources at Inner City Schools

Until open hardware and software existed, many public schools in the inner cities lacked the resources to provide highly qualified teachers or quality textbooks, books (fiction, nonfiction, and reference), periodicals, videos, or much technology. But today abandoned and old computers are being donated and recycled for use in low-income school districts; free computers can also be obtained through organizations like Free Geek and Freecycle, and on CraigsList.

Read more: http://opensource.com/education/13/2/open-source-resources-inner-cities?sc_cid=701600000007PsBAAU

If school districts install Linux and Open Office, they can save thousands and thousands of dollars in licensing fees, maintenance, and personnel. With Internet access, open source web browsers such as WebKit, Wordpress, and Buddypress can then be installed within six minutes to create a website or blog. And with Internet access, limitless educational opportunities ensue; a few examples include:

Highly qualified teachers and instructors found on MIT's OpenCourseWare

National Science Teachers Association freebies for science teachers

Yale professor Keith Wrightson's lecture's on Early Modern England from FreeVideoLectures

With Internet access and an open source web browser, the lack of resources associated with public schools in the inner cities can potentially be greatly reduced or eliminated.