Tribal and rural digital inclusivity: An examination of broadband access in two neighboring Great Plains states

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic raised greater awareness to ways in which societies have become dependent upon access to technology and the Internet. The shift to remote-only education, in particular, forced the recognition of compounded problems faced by poor and economically disadvantaged families with school-age children. Millions of children, particularly students of color, faced diminished and imperiled progress because of limited or no access to the Internet at home. This exploration concentrates particularly on residents of rural and tribal communities, where insufficient efforts have been made to increase technological advances and access levels to reflect current standards. This article focuses on Digital Inclusivity in rural and tribal areas of two Great Plains states (Kansas and Oklahoma) through a wide-ranging survey and analysis of the challenges and successes of technological leadership, information literacy and public policy development and administration.