Global Landscape of Public Access Computing

This project was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by the Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) at University of Washington. The Public Access Landscape Study examined how people around the world access and use information and computers in public settings such as libraries, telecenters, and cybercafes. Understanding public access is particularly important in developing countries where there is often limited private access to information and communication technologies (ICTs). This study covers a sample of 25 countries (see map) containing over 250,000 public access venues. Local research teams surveyed over 25,000 people and conducted interviews and focus groups in order to develop a detailed picture of the public access ICT landscape in each country.

Final Project Publication:

Gomez, R. (2012). Libraries, Telecentres, Cybercafes and Public Access to ICT: International Comparisons (pp. 1-578). doi:10.4018/978-1-60960-771-5l (online).

Other publications that emerged from this (and related) projects:
See Landscape Study Publications

TASCHA researchers:

Ricardo Gomez & Chris Coward (Principal Investigators)
Chris Rothschild
Elizabeth Gould
Mike Crandall
Rebecca Sears
Rucha Ambikar

Research partner leads

Adrian Rozengardt: Argentina
Ananya Raihan, D.Net: Bangladesh
Juan Bossio, Katia Sotomayor & Erick Iriarte, Alfa Redi: Ecuador, Peru
Ibrahim Kushchu: Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey
J. Torres-Melo, CIDER (Phase 1); Luis Baron & Monica Valdes, ICESI (Phase 2): Colombia
Kemly Camacho, Sula Batsu: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras
Leelangi Wanasundera, Center for Women’s Research: Sri Lanka
Marta Voelcker & Gabriel Novais, Pensamento Digital: Brazil
Mayette Macapagal, Ideacorp: Philippines
Nana Morbedadze, IPM: Georgia, Moldova
Nayer Wanas: Egypt
Ndaula Sulah, UgaBYTES: Uganda
Rohit Nepali, SAP International: Nepal
Tina James, ICTeum: Namibia, South Africa
Tracey Naughton, PACT: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia
Yahia Bakelli: Algeria

All detailed country reports from participating countries:

Detailed Country Reports