Research Associate

Low-cost Devices and Classrooms in the Developing World The quest for the low-cost computer has been one of the most signiªcant pur-suits of ICTD since the 1990s. This article examines the experiences of low-cost computing projects in developing regions and looks at some of the common entrepreneurial and technical problems faced by past and current initiatives. Focusing speciªcally on the domain of education, we look at the quest for low-cost devices and consider their economic and socio-cultural appropriate-ness to the typical classroom in the developing world. Using ªeld studies and interviews conducted in rural Indian classrooms, we show that shared rather than single-user devices constitute a more realistic and sustainable approach for low-cost computing projects targeting children’s education. I