A Gadget to Acclimate Immigrants

Eleventh-grader Farhiya Hosh had her textbook open yesterday to Section Four, displaying a picture of 19th-century politician John C. Calhoun, in preparation for a test. But she stared instead at a list of songs on a miniature computer screen.

The after-school program for English language learners at Dominion High School in Sterling was meant to be a study session, but it is common to see students swapping photos of Bollywood movie stars or downloading music.

These students were not goofing off. They were acclimating themselves to a new world of high-tech academic tools. For many of the students in the program, Dominion High offers more than a meal and additional help with geometry assignments. It also offers Palm handheld computers.

The devices act as music players, pocket translators, alarm clocks, planners, word processors and, for some, their first personal computer. In Loudoun County, where the high-tech corridor gives way to rolling hills studded with the homes of affluent families, many students leave well-equipped computer labs at school to find bedrooms stocked with video games and laptops.

But that is not true for everyone.

According to recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics, about 32 percent of children whose parents speak only Spanish use a computer at home. The rate is far higher for children whose parents speak English.

When Dominion High guidance director Kevin Terry surveyed his first group of students four years ago, he discovered that out of 27 students, six had computers at home and only three had access to the Internet.

That led him six miles down the road to the headquarters of America Online Inc. There, he applied for and received a three-year grant totaling $17,500, which he has used in part to buy nearly 40 Palm handheld devices.

Since then, he has helped students download the periodic table of elements for chemistry class and Spanish-to-English or Chinese-to-English dictionaries. Most often, he said, students use their gadgets to play computer games or listen to music.

"I don't care what they use them for. The idea is just to get them comfortable with technology," Terry said. They are also meant as incentives to keep students coming and working hard in their classes. Dedication and progress in school, he said, can yield high-tech accessories -- a wireless keyboard, a memory card and extra software.

With the help of intensive tutoring and family outreach, Terry said, he has seen grades and test scores rise.

Other programs in Loudoun are reaching out to students who lack a computer or Internet access. Parent liaisons at some high schools have identified families that do not have computers and have helped them with donations, loans and, in some cases, an Internet connection.

With 1,220 students, Dominion High has a diverse population. The front hallway is lined with flags from more than 50 countries, and chatter between classes comes in multiple languages. Many of the students at Dominion High who lack computers are recent immigrants whose families are trying to get a house or car, and a computer may be lower on the list, Terry said.

As these families adjust to a new school system, parent liaisons at Dominion High are taking other steps to help parents adjust and get involved in their children's education.

In early November, a back-to-school night at Dominion High was held for immigrant families and other newcomers to the school system. About 200 people from several schools attended. Principals introduced themselves and made announcements in English, which were translated into Spanish. Afterward, parents were able to pick up items from a long hallway lined with housewares, clothing, toys and appliances donated by teachers. There were tables stocked with gallons of house paint, Uno card sets and fuzzy pajamas for toddlers.

Hosh, 19, a junior from Somalia, was at the event, playing with her Palm computer. She said the technological boost was a big help to her because her home computer freezes when she tries to use it.

"I didn't know how to say ABC the first time I came here," she said. "A lot of people thought I was deaf because I didn't talk to anybody."

Now, two years later, she is taking more advanced classes and working hard to graduate before she turns 21. "I am so proud."