University News
WIU READY Awarded $300,000 to Promote Digital Literacy and Access
February 14, 2025
MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - - The Western Illinois University Broadband Regional Engagement for Adoption + Digital Equity (READY) team was recently announced as a recipient of a $300,000 grant from the Illinois Broadband Lab. The funds will support projects over the next 16 months in the Northwest and West Central regions of the state. Teams at the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses will oversee the work.
The projects will work to implement the state of Illinois digital equity plan, which consists of improving the livelihood of Illinois residents in the digital economy through access to high-speed internet and digital skill building.
Both teams will engage in regional collaboration to bring stakeholders together and create a network of organizations that would benefit from digital equity funding and work.
The Quad Cities team consists of School of Communication and Media Professor Chris Carpenter, School of Communication and Media Assistant Professor Ted Avtgis and Executive Director of Outreach and Quad Cities Operations Audrey Adamson.
The Quad Cities team has developed an outreach curriculum called DIGIT-ILL that seeks to reduce digital inequity by exposing at-risk Illinoisans to the many benefits of E-Health. Free in-person training is available to any residents of the 10 counties of Rock Island, LaSalle, Whiteside, Henry, Lee, Bureau, Jo Daviess, Mercer, Putnam and Carroll. The DIGIT-ILL training reaches all of the Northwest Region of Illinois. In collaboration with various community partners, participants are exposed to the benefits of E-Health and provided with the training and skills needed to create their own Personal Health Record (PHR), as well as how to navigate health-related websites.
"This program will help reduce digital inequity in Illinois by helping residents get a foot in the door to the possibilities offered by broadband through medical care, which affects everyone," Carpenter said.
The Macomb team is composed of School of Communication and Media Professor Josh Averbeck, Dean of Innovation and Economic Development Chris Merrett and Director of the School of Computer Sciences Dennis DeVolder.
The Macomb team is continuing its work with local libraries and community organizations in Adams, Brown, Hancock, Henderson, Knox, McDonough, Pike, Schuyler and Warren counties. The team is also providing some job training opportunities on virtual reality headsets.
"We will provide LTE data-enabled Chromebooks to libraries, which can be checked out by patrons who do not have access to a device or reliable internet service," Averbeck said. "Using technology to give students exposure to a day in the life of a career opens the possibilities available to rural Illinoisans."
Additionally, the Macomb team will be conducting accessibility reports on websites that residents rely on for essential services.
"If we can make necessary information easier to obtain and understand, then internet access becomes more useful for the community," Averbeck said.
For more information on READY, click here.
For further information on DIGIT-ILL training, contact Carpenter at digit-ill@wiu.edu.
For more information on website accessibility, contact Averbeck at jm-averbeck@wiu.edu.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: