A 5 year plan was implemented in December 1990 to modernize the DOE computer system and expand the availability of computers to all schools . During the Fall of 1995, almost all schools had access to the World Wide Web or the Internet through e-mail and the assistance of the Pacific Regional Education Lab (PREL). In the Spring of 1996, computers were delivered to Fitiuta, Olosega, Faleasao and Aunuufou elementary schools thus completing one of the objectives of the first 5 year plan which stated that all public high schools and elementary schools will have access to at least one computer and a printer. A local area network, LAN, has been established in all the schools.

As computers have been made available in the schools (in a designated computer room) they have also been introduced into the administration offices of all high schools and elementary schools. The computers in the school administration offices have been instrumental in alleviating many of the time consuming tasks, such as typing/retyping letters, publishing class lists, typing daily bulletins, scheduling, report cards, inventories, form letters to parents and using spreadsheets for school budgets and monthly reports.

As Macintosh Computers continue to evolve and enhance in its development, we have also gone with its current development. Our schools now have imacs, G3s and G4s - the latest on the market, in the classrooms.

In November 1997, the DELTA consortium was established which brought together many government agencies, including DOE, ASCC, ASPA, ASTCA, LBJ TMC, and the Federal Grants office in the Governor's Office, to form a partnership with PEACESAT and these ASG agencies in combining their resources in obtaining and establishing networks that would utilize telecommunications for distance education and telemedicine. It is through this partnership that a direct 384 Kb link to Hawaii, through GTE-Hawaii and ASTCA, has been made available for the use of the DELTA consortium.

Individual schools have been able to make their own connections to off-island schools and companies through the use of the Internet and exchange of e-mail. Cultural exchanges have been made between the differenct sites here on island and stateside schools in the mainland.

Inservice Workshops

In order for our computer curriculum to evolve in the schools, one of the essential parts to be developed is the human infrastructure. All teachers who plan to use the technology effectively will need to be computer literate. A huge task for DOE is to train all our teachers so they could be able to understand and use these computers. Extensive training have therefore been ongoing at almost all the elementary schools for teachers and administrators in the utilization of computers to help with the implemention of our instructional programs. Various components of the trade, such as the use of e-mail and the internet, integrating computers and the internet into instructional teachings, have been added to the existing workshops DCI has been offering for school teachers and administrators.

Accomplishments

Since the last printing of this document there have been consideral advancements and accomplishments in regards to the growth of the Computer program: All schools in the system, as well as DOE administration offices, have access to the internet and an e-mail account established through the local Internet Service Provider (ISP), Samoatelco.com (ASTCA) or PREL.

We are presently in the fourth year of a five year Technology Challenge Grant that has brought in a tremendous amount of money to assist in the procurement of new computers and the initial ground work for improvement in the local area networks (LAN) and the system wide area network (WAN).

DOE,with the LBJ Tropical Medical Center, is one of the first departments to use the dedicated data link between Hawaii and American Samoa for distance learning programs for teachers and administrators. The Teleconference system has also been used for conferences between UH Staff and local teachers and administrators

With the amount of funds put into our local system with technology, it is only fitting that DOE purchased its own Picture-Tel system. Currently, 10 designated sites are now up with the Video Teleconference systems. They include all High Schools as well as remote schools on Tutuila and Manua included.

VTC: [This is a huge step for the Government of American Samoa, in that not only will DOE have direct linkage with the Manua Island teaching staff, but also with Manua residence in times of emergencies.]