The Pike County, Ky., schools have solved an internet access parity problem with a desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) solution from IBM and Desktone, ZDNet reports. As part of a five-year agreement, IBM will provide the county’s classrooms with service that gives older PCs the same internet ability as newer models. Not unlike many companies, the county’s 25 schools purchased and replaced computer equipment on a staggered basis, meaning some classrooms had computers that were over six years old, while other classrooms had brand-new models. This created an inequality among students that school officials felt was unacceptable. So under the agreement with IBM, and using the Desktone DaaS software, the schools’ 1,400 internet-enabled computers will have access to the district’s standard desktop image, regardless of the age of the device or whether it’s a PC or a thin client. An added benefit of the solutions is that homebound students will be able to keep up with their coursework using home computers, and teachers who need to work from home will have access to their materials with the same security and filtering as if they were in the classroom…

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