The TD191: Bridging the Economic Gap for Students

dots corner illustration Top-down view of a row of students with backs to the wall doing a classroom assignment together

The “wealth gap.” We hear it all the time to describe the unequal distribution of assets among Americans. One asset we don’t typically think of when we think of wealth is education. Both access to education and the quality of education received. American public schooling offers school-aged children free education. Unfortunately, every student doesn’t always have the tools at home that are essential to succeed.

COVID-19 & The Economic Impact On Students

COVID-19 has served to further highlight the financial and resource “gaps” in many communities and schools all over the country. As COVID-19 cases began to surge, schools closed their doors and implemented some sort of home-schooling/distance learning measures. What does this academic approach mean for disadvantaged students? Students risk failing, being left behind their peers, and further disadvantaged without reliable internet to engage in eLearning.

Affordable technology is needed to bridge the economic gap and begin to tip the scales. More specifically, JACS Solutions created its TD191 for this very purpose. We believe that the TD191 can play a crucial role in bridging the economic gap between students. Giving every child a fair shot at academic achievement.

Reliable Internet for Your Students

The TD191 is a USB dongle. In other words, a device that can instantly provide Internet of up to 4G LTE speeds. This means that if schools can get a TD191 to their students, everyone can have Internet access. The TD191 is also device agnostic. Whatever students have access to, for example, a Chromebook, laptop, or tablet, they can insert the plug n’ play TD191. Giving them instant access to the Internet for eLearning portals, research, and more. The dongle is compact making it easy to use and manage. The TD191 also features a built-in SD card reader to extend device storage to hold more assignments, videos, and more. A feature that is especially helpful on devices where the storage might be split between several family members.

CIPA Compliance & Security

Our mission to help students have access to the tools they need doesn’t just end at the dongle. We’ve partnered with Asavie, a leader in secure mobility solutions, to make sure that while we provide tools to schools and students to help them succeed, educators can distribute these tools knowing that their students are safe and secure. Asavie’s AccessMyLan solution combines with JACS’ TD191 to help schools provide management and security of all data that’s accessed through the dongle. Their solution is also fully compliant with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) so that harmful online content is one less thing that educators, parents, and teachers need to worry about.

Affordable For All Budgets

We can’t begin to close the economic gap and ensure Internet access is available to all students unless the technology necessary to make the difference is affordable. That’s why the TD191 is available at a price point that is much less than similar dongles on the market, to fit the budgets of schools everywhere. Thanks to initiatives like the CARES act Project Serv and the Emergency Relief Fund, funds are now available for schools to get started right away. If we have learned anything from this experience, it’s that education is one area we need to always be prepared in for the sake of our students, improving their online education for not only the current crisis, but extended snow days, and whatever else may come our way.