Ten
Years in Perspective 1993-2003
In April 1993, after two years of testing and development, with support from UC
Santa Barbara, Sun Microsystems and the National Science Foundation, the RAIN
Network officially opened one of the first public Internet Access Networks in
the United
States.
When RAIN began providing the first Internet access for communities in
Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San
Luis Obispo Counties on the Central Coast
of California there was no access to the Internet outside the university
or military, anywhere. This achievement became a major pioneering step
towards public democratization of the Internet as a universally available
communication resource.
RAIN has since held its original course as an education pioneer applying the
Internet to explore new ways to teach and learn, and remains a leader in
developing new ways to increase positive public participation in government and
society using online access, GIS mapping, wireless, and video broadcasting
technologies.
We enjoy the challenge of providing "Technology that Works for
People."
Over the past 10 years, RAIN has:
" Brought the first public schools, community colleges,
regional government, and libraries in its home region on to the Internet.
" Provided low cost access to thousands of low income,
youth, family and individual users. 
" Developed bi-lingual Spanish and English
resources to promote universal access.
" Opened new doors of communication for local businesses, including
training funded under federal contract to promote government suppliers doing
business online.
" Hosted live public chat sessions with elected
officials to give local communities improved access to the democratic
government process.
" Put the first off-the-grid, solar powered, satellite connected mobile
Internet training and access van on the road.
" Won a Smithsonian Innovation Award and
Technology Literacy Challenge Award from the US Department of Education in
recognition of RAIN's pioneering teacher training and
content delivery services.
" Earned five USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine
Awards to deliver innovative online resources and connectivity to rural
communities on the Central Coast, and in Arizona and New Mexico.
" Launched an afterschool
online education program with field trip rewards for low income students in California, and that links them to Native American students in Arizona and New Mexico, with assistance from the California Consumer
Protection Foundation and the USDA Children and Families At Risk program. They
discover Mark Twain, read original Zorro, study native tribes, explore great art!
" Brought over 15,000 students and 500 teachers
online for a stimulating educational technology project exploring California and Ancient Southwest history, literature, and earth
studies, plus added an innovative American History program, a GIS mapping
program, and a Global Garden study program.
" Hosted doctor-to-doctor telemedicine training and promoted telehealth
program development including services for terminally ill youth with assistance
from the California Telehealth and Telemedicine Center, the Landon Foundation,
and the USDA.
" Been honored to be selected for a National Science Foundation pilot
project to link US distance learning resources with sister programs in Costa Rica
and Belize.
" Contributed published papers and presentations at educational technology
conferences in Japan, Sweden, Italy, Hungary, Costa Rica, Canada and the United
States to promote world wide use of the Internet as an enriching, democratic,
educational communication vehicle.
" Opened a Community Technology Center with lab and conference facilities using large screen Internet projection equipment that has
hosted training of teachers from three states serving thousands of young
students, small business owners needing to learn to conduct business
transactions online, and afterschool programming.
" Formed a public Internet video broadcasting center
providing web streaming for live conferences and events, including the Solstice
Parade and Coastal Zone Conference, and delivers educational video online to
students and families daily.
" Launched one of the first non-governmental,
multi-agency public GIS mapping servers in the country delivering public access
to regional maps, data, demographics, and user-provided projects from the
public schools, making Geographic Information System technology widely
available to the public.
" Participated in and supported the formation of multi-agency partnerships
that promote public access to information and educational resources, including
marine and terrestrial environmental education, public school educational
technology, multi and cross-cultural youth program, and library services
consortia.
" Developed unique, original online and video
programming with positive social values that promote sustainable practices at
the individual, family, community, and global level.
On the Central Coast
To Celebrate RAIN's 10 Years of Innovative Public
Technology Services, we invite you to visit our newly expanded Community Technology Center, live or online, to participate in empowering
technology events.
On selected Friday nights RAIN will be hosting live broadcasts with guest
speakers, poets, and musicians and the public is invited to attend. RAIN's Community Technology Center offers walk-in high-speed Internet access for
students, locals and travelers, and special Friday evening broadcasts.
We also will have the mobile Internet Bus out on the road delivering Internet
education services to libraries, schools and community centers in the region.
Physical location for RAIN CTC events is 1129 State Street, on the courtyard across from the Museum of Art,
in Santa Barbara. Online location is www.rain.org .
See the RAIN calendar for the Internet bus schedule or write to rain@rain.org to request a stop at your agency.
Technology Projects Near and Far
RAIN will continue building on its services in the Pacific Southwest and will
be bringing new Native American students online through a program linking
Indian Schools and Rural Schools in Arizona, New Mexico and California. Of
special note is hosting a Family Heritage project in rural communities where
students use new GPS and GIS technologies map historic sites and collect and
publish oral histories from the elders in their community.
RAIN's multi-agency activities in Central America will increase the number of agencies and schools
involved in connecting to Camp Internet, the distance learning program broadcast by RAIN,
and International Baccalaureate schools around the world will also begin
participating in Global Peace Studies programming.
Welcome to the new RAIN Virtual Community
Now you too can take part, from anywhere, in
the RAIN Community !
New for 2003, RAIN will be hosting a new online community environment where
members can participate in classes, discussion groups - even form your own
discussion group, enjoy live online broadcasts hosted by RAIN, and if you need
connectivity, you can also sign up for dial-up or DSL connectivity in our
service areas.
Dial-up access is $15 mo, $24 mo family ( for up to 4
complete accounts). Incl. web space! 
Come Explore New Technologies with RAIN !
Call : 1.800.889.2823 or visit our web at: www.rain.org
If you visit or live in the Santa Barbara area visit our Community Technology
Campus at:
1129 State Street A7
Santa Barbara CA 93101
~ Technology That Works For People ~
Visit the RAIN web site to Learn how rural and urban communities and
neighborhoods, working with RAIN, are finding ways to take hold of their
technology access. Learning how to manage their own Community
and Neighborhood web sites, local school and church web sites and more. Our Goal, to establish Technology in American Communities which
serves a purpose and which a regular community member can understand and work
with.
Come Learn how Internet connectivity is changing the way we gather and
visualize information. Use of GIS maps, Internet delivered video and audio have
greatly enhanced how we communitate, educate and
learn.
Join RAIN, an internationally recognized Internet pioneer in education
technology, for regular video and audio broadcasts, web-based email,
connectivity, workshops or special events. As the only non-profit Internet
service on the Central Coast
linking Santa
Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura Counties, RAIN offers Internet users a chance to support innovative public
programming with GIS Mapping, Video Broadcasting, Online Programming, and
in-person workshops.
FREE online regional GIS maps, chats with elected representatives, health and
family resources, community and non-profit web sites -see the calendar for
special events.
Visit us online at
www.rain.org
to sign up for non-commercial, reliable high-speed Internet.
FAMILIES can join our CAMP INTERNET program online for year round learning adventures.
See www.campinternet.net
Or catch the RAIN Internet Bus on tour when it visits
your regional library or community center.
1-800-889-2823
rain@rain.org
Discover one of the Internet's original treasures
Commercial-free access and award winning online programming from the RAIN
Network
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