Digital inclusion in the context of economic opportunity

This dissertation examined information and communication technologies (ICTs) and related digital inclusion strategies to promote economic opportunities for low-income individuals and households. The dissertation is presented in a three-article format with the interrelated focus of enhancing economic well-being through greater inclusion. The first article used spatial and social network analyses to depict a community-based public-private digital inclusion partnership that aims to equip non-profit organizations and public agencies with very fast internet service to support innovative service delivery. The second article investigated associations of online banking practice among low-income residents in subsidized housing, and offered recommendations to support the practice in order to enhance financial literacy. Through bivariate associations and ordered logit modeling, the final article studied the relationship between ICT access and use and students’ academic performance. This dissertation demonstrates that digital inclusion is an effective framework to advance economic opportunity interventions, and that related endeavors are aligned with the mission of social work