The Internet Access and Training Program (IATP) is an initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funded by the Freedom Support Act to foster the development of the Russian-language Internet by providing free and open Internet access and targeted trainings to educators and alumni of US government programs. Operating a network of over 74 IATP Internet centers in 49 communities across Russia, Project Harmony conducts training programs, professional workshops and online events that promote the Internet as an educational tool and provide Russian citizens with the skills to develop quality Internet resources.

The IATP was founded to provide alumni of educational exchange programs financed by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) a means to communicate with American colleagues after returning to Russia. While this goal has remained unchanged, and while alumni of ECA programs remain the primary target audience for the program, other components have been added to the program mission over the past seven years. Today's IATP also targets Russian educators for Internet training.

The mission of the IATP program is to foster the growth of vibrant Russian Internet communities by providing resources and developing skills of local citizens to engage in the global Internet Community.

Overview of IATP Tasks

• Target alumni of ECA-sponsored programs and educators for special, intensive training programs
• Enhance non-commercial access to and use of the Internet
• Expand the existing IATP network to include 80 Internet сenters
• Provide technical support and upgrades to existing IATP сenters
• Provide financial support for educational projects at IATP centers
• Supply training materials in electronic form and hardcopy for use at IATP сenters
• Maintain a comprehensive website at http://iatp.projectharmony.ru

The program unites a community of interested professionals and experts around the IATP sites. In this way, IATP facilitates the transfer of knowledge to site users and supports local network initiatives.

The Education Program

As part of IATP, Project Harmony has organized intensive train-the-trainer courses for university professors and secondary school teachers on the integration of the Internet into the educational process. Through these courses, Project Harmony trained over 400 ECA alumni and 600 teachers in 28 cities between spring 2000 and 2001. Participants were then obligated to pass on their newly gained knowledge to their students and colleagues by organizing on-line events, trainings and lectures.

The Alumni Program

Project Harmony offers alumni of US government programs free and open access to the Internet, the opportunity to participate in Internet seminars and trainings, and informational support through IATP listservs, web chats and on-line forums.

People with Other Abilities

In addition to traditional IATP centers, Project Harmony has opened Internet education centers for people with disabilities in six communities across Russia. These centers target deaf, blind and otherwise impaired users. By providing specialized seminars and training programs, Project Harmony seeks to ensure these target groups can actively participate in society via the Internet.

The Small Grants Pool

Beginning in January 2002, the IATP will award organizations grants of up to $5,000 for projects created and directed by alumni to develop and enhance the use of the Russian-language Internet in local communities. Grants will support training courses that strengthen and build online communities, as well as allow people to present valuable information online about their local communities. Grants may fund the creation of websites, but websites themselves should not constitute the sole result of a project. Priority will be given to projects that emphasize Internet education and training. Project Harmony will distribute grants evenly throughout all regions of Russia. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until July 2002.

Distance Learning

During 2002, Project Harmony will train 100 teachers and ECA alumni how to utilize distance learning to rejuvenate and enhance education. Participants will learn about distance education by actively participating in the process themselves. Afterward, they will each begin their own online courses. Additionally, Project Harmony gathered leading DL specialists from across Russia and the United States in April 2002 at a Moscow based conference to discuss the direction and challenges of distance learning.

Case Study Teaching

The third phase of the IATP includes a summer school on Case Study Teaching targeting Junior Faculty Development Program alumni. Project Harmony, with instructors from the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington (Seattle, USA) and Kyiv Mohyla Business School (Kyiv, Ukraine) will train participants during an intensive five-day conference on effectively using Case Study Teaching as enhanced by the Internet. After the conference, participants will return to their institutions and begin using Case Studies in order to build problem solving and critical analyses skills through application of theoretical knowledge to real-life situations and solving problem through active discussion.