Getting on the Net: the struggle for digital inclusion of the Navajo

The digital divide is a problem for many groups of Americans, and for one group in particular, Native Americans. The plight and struggle of the American Indian to gain access to the Internet is illustrated with the Navajo Nation. They have tried to gain Internet access through two approaches: decentralized and centralized initiatives. Learning through their experiences, the more centrally organized the initiative, the more effective it was in bringing the Internet to the Navajo Nation. The lessons learned from the Navajo can serve as a guide to various other groups who are separated from American society by the digital divide.