Module 7 Is a system really "broken"?

System by Design

Internet disparity in rural areas is real. As rural interpreters, we all know too well the impacts of the digital divide. Inequities in accessing the internet impact our ability to engage in online learning opportunities (for some that includes IRIS), work from home while providing interpreting services remotely, and benefit from 24/7 VRS services via a video phone.

The video below Why Many Rural Americans Still Don’t Have Reliable Internet by the Wall Street Journal (2020) provides insight into how U.S. governmental systems and broadband policies have fallen short for many rural Americans. The video provides a number of examples of how ordinary citizens have tried to navigate systems only to be met with numerous roadblocks.

An example...

(Subtitles available via video settings)

When watching this video do you recognize these systems at work?

Systems at work.
Larger System	Parts of that System
Federal government	Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policies and employees Federal Bankruptcy Court policies and procedures
Corporate businesses	Frontier Communications contracts and policies
State government	West Virginia Governor's Office policies and employees
Local municipalities	School District COVID policies
Communities	Residents/taxpayers directly impacted by lack of internet Students unable to receive schooling online