Network Organization Profile
Alianca
Regional de Rain para Informacisn Comunicativa
Public Internet Broadcasting - Technology that Works for People
Organization Profile
Founded in 1991 RAIN was one of the first public
Internet access Networks established in the United States.
RAIN's National Public Internet Network provides over 2,500 local dial access number for
high speed dialup Internet throughout the United States. RAIN also provides DSL and
other Internet Services, including GIS, Video and K-12 Curriculum.
Over 32 million visitors come to the RAIN web site each year, a testament of the need for,
and value of, Public Internet Broadcasting.
Since 1990, RAIN has worked with Partners on projects for the USDA Rural Utilities
Service distance learning & telemedicine program (5 dlt grant programs in 120 rural communities),
US Dept. of Education/California Education Dept. (over 22,000 4th-12th grade students
served along with an average of 800 teacher per year who received Technology Proficency
Training, Dept. of Commerce/NOAA, U.S. Geological Survey (for GIS development),
National Science Foundation, and Defense Department in the fields of Distance Learning,
Telemedicine, Electronic Commerce, Rural Community Development and Family Strengthening.
RAIN's Camp Internet program has been awarded a Smithsonian Institution Technology Innovation
Award, and has received two AOL Rural Community Capacity Building
Leadership Awards.
Camp Internet is a K-12 distance education program which has served over 25,000 4th-12th grade
students. Working with School Districts throughout California and the Southwest Camp Internet
provides curriculum, GATE and ESL classes throughout the year.
RAIN also provides Professional Technology Proficency training for teachers, Physicans and Nurses and
Community Leaders.
Using state-of-the-art video and audio streaming, RAIN's programs link learners in the United States
and around the world to expert scientists, historians, doctors, educators, business owners, and
entrepreneurs who serve as online mentors and role models for learners of all ages.
3) RAIN's Director, Timothy Tyndall, is an invited presenter of
research papers at Conferences around the world.
Papers have been presented to:
the National Research Council CODATA ,
the International Telecommunications Society Conference in Stockholm
the International Internet Society Conference in Geneva
the Dept. of Interior 5th Annual California Islands Symposium, Santa Barbara,
the California Dept. of Education, San Diego,
National Rural Telecommunications Conference Aspen Institute,
the Canadian Library Assoc. Get Smart Conference, Montreal
the National Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education
the International Telecommunications Society in Florence, Italy,
the International Internet Society Kyoto, Japan,
Ed-Net, Los Angeles.
Past Accomplishments
RAIN assisted developing countries in creating model public access programs -
in Belize - BRAIN - the Belizean Regional Alliance for Information Networking.
RAIN has applied to USAID for a network project in Ghana that will be GRAIN, with an emphasis on electronic commerce
for women's and regional products to promote self sufficiency.
RAIN has received support from the National Science Foundation for work in developing countries,
and presented a paper to Universidad Estatal a Distancia in San Jose, Costa Rica reviewing the use of new technologies to build
rural economy and health services infrastructure.
RAIN wasselected as a regional education and technology development agency for the opening
of a new Electronic Commerce Resource Center (ECRC).
The Center assisted regional small and medium sized manufactures and disadvantaged small businesses in Southern California to participate in government contracting using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to streamline, lower the cost, and
increase the efficiency of contracting with the government.
RAIN was a technology partner in a USDA CYFAR Children Youth and Families at Risk project called
Neighborhood GreenNet in Santa Barbara, teaching low income youth and families to use the Internet as a
family strengthening and small business development tool.
RAIN was selected by the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a West Coast GIS Metadata Clearinghouse and web center.
To learn more about RAIN and its Public Internet Broadcasting programs, please see www.rain.org,
or call 1-800-889-2823.
We invite you to support Public Internet Broadcasting -
Technology that Works for People !
http://www.rain.org