ERate Ars Technica reports that Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) has submitted a new bill to update the E-Rate program that provides assistance to schools in technology purchases to include "significantly discounted services and technologies for the use of e-books” for low-income school kids.

As Ars notes, the students are not likely to get a choice in what kind of e-book device they get as the decisions will be made by the schools, generally with more economical than other considerations. The bill also provides for a number of other programs to help schools and low-income kids.

The update is needed since E-Rate has pretty much fulfilled its original mission of providing Internet access to schools. The new goals will give it something else to do.

Could this be the next step in encouraging wider adoption of e-books: get ‘em while they’re young? Time will tell.

1 COMMENT

  1. This is the perfect time for accessibility advocates to make it known that any ebook reading system adopted with federal funds MUST be accessible to students with disabilities. It would be a crime to miss this opportunity.

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