Gateway discounts to Indiana

Gateway's Indiana Web Academy page

In a collaboration that could benefit half of Indiana's residents, the state government and Gateway Inc. recently announced that the company will sell affordable computers and Internet access to educators, students and state employees.

Indiana may be the first state to offer such a program to bring computers and the Internet into homes, according to Ken Scales, director of the Indiana Web Academy, a joint project between the state's education department and its technology advisory panel.

The academy (www.indianawebacademy.org) was formed to promote the Internet as an educational resource for parents, students and teachers.

Under the agreement, families of K-12 students in public and private schools, teachers and state employees have a choice of four specially configured computers, which they can buy at rates ranging from $24 to $46 per month over four years. The prices include three years of Internet service — or they can purchase another Gateway computer at a 10 percent discount.

Scales estimated that about 1.5 million students, teachers, and state employees are eligible for the program. When including students' families, up to 3 million or 4 million people out of a state population of 6 million could benefit, he added.

The Indiana Web Academy and Gateway stores will offer free computer and online training for new users.