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Open Source in Africa : towards informed decision-making

BRUGGINK, Martin
August 2003

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Open Source solutions became a real alternative in western and northern countries as well as in Asian countries. In Africa, Open Source initiatives have not yet been discussed thoroughly. This brief summarizes research carried out in Tanzania, Uganda and Burkina Faso, asking how and if Open Source is used

Building inclusive information societies : Dutch perspectives for the WSIS

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNICATION AND DEVELOPMENT (IICD)
ONEWORLD NEDERLAND
HUMANIST INSTITUTE FOR CO-OPERATION WITH DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (HIVOS)
August 2003

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This document brings together recommendations for the Dutch delegation to the 2003 'World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)'. Themes identified are: cyber rights: property, privacy and freedom of expression; ICT and education; civil society and empowerment; and trade and entrepreneurship

Implementing a new health management information system in Uganda

GLADWIN, J
DIXON, R A
WILSON, T D
June 2003

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The paper reviews the installation of a new health management system in Uganda. The authors noted that technological issues, rather than wider organisational issues, dominated the planning of the change. The need to consider the organisational context when changing information systems arises because the process is more complex than some practitioners have realised. It is a useful case study of the implementation of information and communication technology

Comunicación sin fronteras : un proyecto de universalización de las tecnologías de información y comunicación en Costa Rica

CAMACHO, Kemly
HIDALGO, Christian
April 2003

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The document analyses the 'Communication Without Borders' programme - a proposal developed in the Republic of Costa Rica in 2003 to incorporate new technologies into the life of the citizens. It examines the programme as it works in reality, showing the difference between the ideal model and the one executed. It makes recommendations around policy issues, institutional change and infrastructure development

Greenstone digital library software

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (UNESCO)
NEW ZEALAND DIGITAL LIBRARY PROJECT(NZDL)
HUMAN INFO NGO
March 2003

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Greenstone is a suite of software for building and distributing digital library collections. It provides a new way of organising information and publishing it on the Internet or on CD-ROM. This CD-ROM contains the open source software as well as supporting documentation

Learning to share learning : an exploration of methods to improve and share learning

CHETLEY, Andrew
VINCENT, Robin
March 2003

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This is a report, commissioned by the UK Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) in March 2003, which provides a literature review looking at the sharing of learning in different sectors. A key aim of CHI’s approach is to encourage NHS organisations to embed learning in their work to help them improve their practice. The report draws on studies in the fields of education, psychology, organisational learning, personal learning, and participatory approaches to explore understanding of good learning practice. It includes more than 15 case studies that illustrate methodologies and approaches used to share learning in the business, public, and voluntary sectors, paying particular attention to the types of processes that encourage engagement with diverse communities of interest or multiple stakeholders

Case study : the SATELLIFE PDA Project

March 2003

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The article describes the SATELLIFE Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) Project that explored questions related to the selection and design of appropriate, affordable technology and locally relevant content for use in African healthcare environment. The project was specifically targeted at assessing the usefulness of the PDA for (1) data collection and (2) information dissemination. This report describes a number of valuable lessons leaned from the project that can be applied to further deployment of PDAs in developing countries. A number of obstacles to technology use have also been identified, which will need to be overcome in order to promote the widespread adoption of the technology in this context

Cultural and political factors in the design of ICT projects in developing countries

ROZENDAL, Rutger
March 2003

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This research report argues that the project environment should be divided into a political and a cultural dimension. Both dimensions are difficult to direct, but by analysing them it is possible to foresee problems between the project organisation and its environment. Instead of directing the political and cultural forces, the art of management lies in anticipating them in advance. [Publisher's abstract]

Wireless communication

VONK, Tjalling
MULDER, Rolof
March 2003

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The use of wireless networks in developing areas is promising. Since ground cables are only economic in high-density environments, a wireless network is much cheaper when long distances need to be crossed to rural areas

Resource centre manual : how to set up and manage a resource centre

O'SULLIVAN, Sheila
et al
2003

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Contains practical information on all aspects of setting up and managing a resource centre, from planning, fundraising and finding a suitable location, to collecting and organising materials, developing information services, and monitoring and evaluating the work of the resource centre. It assumes that most readers will use manual systems for organising information, but also explains how computers can be used in resource centres, including e-mail, Internet and databases. It describes how to select database software, and contains a detailed review of three leading database programs. It includes a list of organisations and publications that can provide further information

Information and communication technologies and poverty reduction in Sub Saharan Africa : a learning study (synthesis)

GERSTER, Richard
ZIMMERMAN, Sonja
2003

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A report of the learning study carried out as part of the Building Digital Opportunities (BDO) programme.The study focuses on mapping the experiences of BDO partners with ICTs and poverty reduction in order to enable BDO partners to improve their understanding of the role of ICTs in poverty reduction and play a pro-poor role in multilateral forums like the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). It draws on research into the use of information and communication technology in Mali, Uganda and Zambia, and examines progress in fulfilling BDO's global objective to ensure that such technology contributes to the achievement of the 8 Millenium Development Goals and 17 Millenium Development Targets

Biwako millennium framework for action towards an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific

UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (UNESCAP)
January 2003

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Provides information on the Biwako Framework that was adopted in 2002. The document sets out a draft regional framework for action that provides regional policy recommendations for action by governments in the region and concerned stakeholders to achieve an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for disabled people. The regional framework for action explicitly incorporates the millennium development goals and their relevant targets to ensure that concerns relating to disabled people become an integral part of efforts to achieve the goals

Time to get online : steps to success on the Internet

KABISSA
2003

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Guide to help African civil society organisations to get online and integrate the Internet into their organisations. Five chapters cover: Connecting to the Internet; Accessing Information Resources; Interacting Online; Establishing and Maintaining a Web Site; Next Steps - Integrating the Internet into Your Organization. Also includes a glossary of Internet terms and a list of further resources. Available to download free as PDF file or can be ordered in print with an accompanying CD-ROM for the cost of postage and packing.

Download the materials by writing to ttgo@kabissa.org African civil society organizations can download the materials at no cost.

Measuring and monitoring the information and knowledge societies : a statistical challenge

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO). Institute for Statistics
2003

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The focus of this report is on data systems and measurement issues with regard to ICT, including aspects of data availability, international comparability and quality, as well as content. The overall aim is to support the development of national, regional and international data systems and indicators that are comprehensive, policy relevant and reliable for the proper understanding, monitoring and development of a sustainable and equitable information/knowledge society. The first part of this report includes a stocktaking of selected global ICT data from a variety of sources. This is followed by a discussion of the limitations of the existing data as well as barriers and problems that might be encountered in collecting of such data. The final section of the report discusses what data might be of value to collect in the future. The report concludes with a series of recommendations

ICTs for development success stories : youth poverty gender

GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIP (GKP)
Ed
2003

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This publication highlights initiatives that are using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to make a real and meaningful difference in communities around the world. The aim is to share experiences and lessons learned to increase global understanding of how ICTs can be used to tackle poverty, injustice and inequalities. The stories were submitted to GKP under three broad categories: youth, poverty and gender. The best among them have been selected for the inaugural GKP Youth Award, the Tony Zeitoun Awards for poverty reduction, and the Gender and ICT Awards. The awards were presented at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva in December 2003

The one to watch : radio, new ICTs and interactivity

GIRARD, Bruce
Ed
2003

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This book presents examples of converging radio and new ICTs for development. The radio/telecommunications combination is helping keep communities together despite the distances imposed by migration. The book argues that radio will have even greater significance and value in years to come. It is split into five sections; concepts and context, gateways, networks, communication with migrants and rural radio. It features case studies where methods have been tried and proven

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