Introduction

[Foundation TempbFo Rebecca BrownFoundation TempbFo]

Hi all!
   My name is Rebecca Brown.  I am a Project Assistant working at Inova =
Health System, in Fairfax, Virginia.  Inova is a nonprofit, community =
health care organization, which operates throughout the D.C. Metropolitan =
area. I am working specifically on a project called "Healing Communities: =
Technology for Hospitalized Children."=20
    This project is an attempt to keep hospitalized children connected to =
their home and school communities by keeping them in touch with their =
school, teachers, classmates and friends through the appropriate use of =
technology.  The project will also allow these children to create their =
own communities within hospital walls and among children with similar =
medical issues whether in the hospital or at home.  These children, who =
are out of their communities and schools for extended periods of time, =
often fall behind both academically and socially.  The project will target =
middle school through high school aged children who are hospitalized =
repeatedly or for lengthy periods of time.  Currently we are working to =
develop a list of these children't specific needs as well as a pool of =
information on the available technolgoy and any current projects of this =
type. =20
   As part of my work with the project I am researching issues that we =
believe are relevant to the project.  One of these is the digital divide.  =
Community technology projects, especially after school ones for youth, are =
an essential part of the effort to bridge this divide.  I learned of this =
listserv from a digital divide listserv run by the Benton Foundation.  I =
hope to gain from this list a broader knowledge of after-school technology =
programs and perhaps some ideas that can be applied to our program helping =
hospitalized children.  Thanks for your time! =20

Rebecca Brown
Project Assistant
Inova Health System Foundation
Tempb.foundation at inova.com