Building Digital Equity in Multilingual Communities
Today, access to technology and digital resources is essential for education, employment, and community engagement. Yet while digital equity initiatives aim to ensure everyone has the same opportunities, marginalized multilingual communities such as immigrants and refugees face an additional barrier: language. In Georgia, this prevents thousands of non-English speakers from full participation in the digital landscape.
Consider two key challenges multilingual communities face:
Disparities in education
Studies show that English Language Learners (ELLs) tend to struggle in school. They often lack the confidence to participate fully in class and also score lower on standardized tests, particularly in reading and writing assessments. In addition, they’re at greater risk of leaving school early, with some studies suggesting that ELLs are twice as likely to drop out compared to native English speakers.
Lack of digital access
Language barriers exacerbate the digital divide for marginalized communities. Not only is access to devices and a reliable internet connection a challenge, but navigating English-only platforms and resources leads to further limitations. In fact, research shows that non-English speakers are less likely to engage with online services or participate in digital learning environments, which are often essential for accessing vital services, education, and job opportunities.
A challenging combination
Combined, these two factors have broad implications:
Families risk an inability to access important healthcare information, including preventative opportunities, telehealth visits, and needed benefits.
Students may fall behind on at-home assignments that are already harder to understand. Plus, they often miss out on virtual education options designed to help them get ahead.
Adults face employment disparities and may not be able to access essential government resources.
Overall, non-English-speaking communities are at an increased risk of being left behind in an increasingly digital world.
Inclusive digital literacy programs can help
Community-based digital literacy programs are a cornerstone of building digital equity. By partnering with local organizations, these programs can tailor their content to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of the communities they serve. Digital training that addresses language barriers helps multilingual communities face the challenges above.
At Inspiredu, we’re committed to serving non-English speakers. That’s why we’re working with our partners to provide opportunities in multiple languages so that digital skills training is accessible to all Georgians. “While our role is to provide the devices and training, our partners assist in curriculum translation in the languages their communities need,” explains Inspiredu’s Program Coordinator. “With the materials and instruction in their native language, participants feel empowered to better navigate the digital world.”
At Inspiredu workshops, this works in one of two ways. Some partners already have a translation program that translates our presentation deck to the applicable language. Other partners like ICNA Relief and the Latin American Association help Inspiredu with translations for our slide decks and by providing actual interpreters on-site to relay the digital literacy workshop in a digestible way. “At our workshops with live interpreters, they often go above and beyond for multilingual learners,” Inspiredu’s Program Coordinator shares. “They’ll walk around the room to ensure that no one is falling behind because of a language barrier.”
What’s next
While our partners currently provide resources to help translate our programs, we’re ready to go further. In fact, we’re working to round out our staff with bilingual trainers who will be able to offer our workshops entirely in the participants’ native language. What’s more, we’re also equipping our multilingual volunteers to assist in translating our workshop decks ahead of time. This will ensure a deeper level of understanding for everyone, from participants to our trainers and staff.
Language barriers add an additional challenge to some of our most vulnerable communities. That’s why multilingual approaches to digital literacy training are an important part of our mission. When everyone is learning together, we continue to build digital equity across Georgia.