Australia trials low-cost laptop

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project aims to put low-cost laptops into the hands of impoverished children in the developing world, but work is already underway to trial them among indigenous populations in Australia.
The simple laptop, currently being built for around $US150 each, is the brainchild of MIT Media Lab and Nicholas Negroponte, who billed it as being revolutionary for children's education.
Allowing poor children access to modern technologies, MIT argued, would give those who don't have access to teachers and schools the ability teach themselves.
"Poor children lack opportunity, not capacity for learning," reads a description on the OLPC website.
"By providing laptops to every child without cost to the child, we bring the poor child the same opportunities for learning that wealthy families bring to their children."
Millions of the laptops are already being built for Rwanda, Argentina, Brazil, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Thailand and Uruguay, and it is understood they will be ready for distribution by July.
But it is fast being realised that many Australian communities could also benefit from the project.
Rangan Srikhanta, a treasurer with the United Nations Association of Australia, is liasing with local governments, universities and the OLPC group to organise local trials.
He asserts that there are many children in "developed" countries, such as Australia, that are exposed to conditions typical of those expected in developing countries.
"We are working to get this laptop to the Northern Territory, where we feel that it could be very beneficial," he said.
"There are numerous other areas in Queensland, WA, SA, NSW, Vic and Tas that hold equal potential."
Sharron Noske, deputy chief executive of planning and resources for the Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET), said two samples were being tested to decide whether to go ahead with a trial program.
"DEET is keen to look at an extended pilot where a whole class of students use the laptops for an extended period - to establish the learning benefits and identify the associated teaching strategies and resources required," she said.
"If this pilot shows the outcomes DEET is seeking, then the department would consider a wider roll-out."
For such a low cost, the OLPC laptop offers a rich array of features including a webcam, microphone, wireless networking, SD memory card slot and built-in speakers.