WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye is pleased to announce that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded a $254,660 grant to the State Department of Education to develop two Community Resource Centers, in rural areas of Hawaii, which will improve educational opportunities for people of all ages.

"I am pleased the Department of Commerce appropriated funds for this much needed project. The Community Resource Centers will extend access to electronic educational resources during after-school hours. In addition, the Centers will provide the community an opportunity to experience technology not often available in rural areas," said Senator Inouye.

The Department of Education will develop Community Resource Centers in Eleele on the Island of Kauai, and Kaunakakai on the Island of Molokai. The Centers will be located in schools and communities that contain a cross-section of residents and are representative of rural communities in Hawaii. The services provided by the Center will range from access to the Internet for student research, to job skills computer training, such as word processing and General Education Development (GED) courses through community adult schools.

The project will demonstrate how schools and the surrounding community can maximize the use of new technologies to address a wide range of educational needs. It will also explore the feasibility of remote maintenance, since a current barrier associated with technology in rural areas is the high cost of maintenance and management of the equipment.

The Department of Education will partner with SUN Microsystems, Oracle Corporation, Lotus Development/IBM and InfoCal to provide hardware, software and advisory services on existing and emerging technologies.