Dive Brief:

• President Barack Obama has announced a plan to give 10,000 e-books (worth about $250 million) away to low-income students. 
• The initiative is part of a partnership with five major book publishing houses. 
• The president says he hopes this plan, coupled with his ConnectEd initiative, will help bridge the digital gap affecting low-income students. 

Dive Insight:

Technology can be “not just a tool for connecting with your friends, but also for learning,” Obama explained when discussing the e-book initiative. During his presidency, he has made numerous strides to not only bring digital learning to the classroom and homes, but to make it accessible for low-income students, as well. The ConnectEd Initiative, which aims to bring high-speed broadband to 99% of schools by 2018, also comes with numerous deals (such as the FCC's E-rate reforms) that allow low-income schools to cheaply access the Internet.