Technology and learning at home: findings from the evaluation of the Home Access Programme pilot

This paper examines the impact of a UK government initiative, introduced in late 2008 and closed in 2011, to provide a computer and 1 year of Internet connectivity to low-income households with children aged 5–19 years. This paper presents and discusses the findings from the evaluation of the initiative, the Home Access Programme (HAP) pilot study in two local authorities in England in 2009–2010. The evaluation found that HAP impacted positively on children and young people's computer access; more specifically, it led to increased student time engaged in homework and independent learning activities on the computer at home. The evaluation found evidence of pockets of increased parental engagement with their child's learning. Finally, the survey found some evidence of benefits of HAP in relation to economic and social benefits at home. The paper concludes that the pilot HAP made a material impact on closing the digital divide and delivered educational benefits for students and for households.