The study sought to explore technology challenges faced by some rural women in Intsika-Yethu and Emalahleni local municipalities, under the Chris Hani District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Available literature reveals that some rural women in South Africa and other developing parts of the world face technology challenges. The study is qualitative and focuses on two municipalities. Thirty-two women participated in the study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group interviews. Data were presented, analysed and discussed according to the themes derived from the sub-research questions. It emerged from the study that while most women in both municipalities were aware of ICT, they are however facing ICT access challenges in most areas of the municipalities. The findings do not depict the South African government national ICT policy goals which realises the importance of technology in the integration of services for the development of rural areas. Designing intervention programs for secondary school girls and some rural women, as well as monitoring and evaluating ICT programs in rural areas are recommended. / Communication Science / MA ( Communication)

The rapid emergence of broadband, or always-on Internet, during the course of the last decade, has increased the importance of the so- called information society in urban and industrialized societies world- wide. Liberalized information and communications technology (ICT) market forces worldwide have however failed to supply these services to rural and low-income regions resulting in the so-called digital divide. One financial tool, adopted by many developing nations to drive broadband investments in underserved areas, is the universal service fund (USF), a public fund mainly levying its resources from ICT market players. USFs have previously been used to fund telecom networks but with the growing importance of broadband, structural and regulatory discrepancies are preventing USFs from adequately supporting broadband investments. Currently, little up-to-date academic theory exists within this field; thus, this thesis serves to outline principles that policy-makers and regulators need to consider when designing or reforming universal service fund mechanisms. The research is based on a series of qualitative country case studies investigating policy, procedural, and executional aspects related to USFs and rural broadband. Publicly available material has been complemented with interviews of stakeholders from various levels to establish a holistic empirical base upon which conclusions have been drawn. The conclusions outline principles governing public involvement in USFs, roles played by various stakeholders in the broadband ecosystem, and strategies for rural broadband network deployment. / Framfarten av bredband under det senaste årtiondet har ökat vikten av det så kallade informationssamhället i de industrialiserade och urbaniserade samhällen. Marknadskrafterna inom den liberaliserade informations- och kommunikationsindustrin har dock misslyckats med att göra dess tjänster tillgängliga till glesbefolkade och låginkomstregioner, vilket har lett till en digital klyfta. Ett finansiellt hjälpmedel som många utvecklingsländer har anammat för att påskynda bredbandsinvesteringar i regioner med få bredbandsuppkopplingar är fonder för samhällsomfattande tjänster (USF), som är en offentlig fond vilken får den största delen av sitt kapital genom en pålaga på intäkterna från aktörer inom informations- och kommunikationsindustrin. USF:er har tidigare använts för att finansiera telekomnätverk, men i takt med att bredbandets ökande genomslag i samhället har strukturella och regleringsmässiga problem med USF:erna uppdagats vilka hindrar dem från att effektivt stödja bredbandsinvesteringar. För närvarande finns lite akademisk teori på området, och sålunda syftar denna uppsatts till att tillhandahålla principer vilka beslutsfattare och regulatorer bör efterfölja vid utformning eller reformering av mekanismer för samhällsomfattande tjänster för bredband. Arbetet baseras på en serie kvalitativa fallstudier av länder med policy, procedurella och verkställande aspekter kopplade till USF:er i områden med få bredbandsuppkopplingar i fokus. Material tillgängligt för allmänheten har kompletterats med intervjuer av intressenter från olika organisations- och samhällsnivåer för att skapa en heltäckande empiri på området från vilka slutsatser har dragits. Slutsatserna innehåller principer som rör offentlig inblandning i USF:er, roller för samhällets olika intressenter i ett ekosystem för bredband, samt strategier för utbyggnad av bredbandsnätverk i glesbefolkade områden.

The study sought to explore technology challenges faced by some rural women in Intsika-Yethu and Emalahleni local municipalities, under the Chris Hani District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Available literature reveals that some rural women in South Africa and other developing parts of the world face technology challenges. The study is qualitative and focuses on two municipalities. Thirty-two women participated in the study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group interviews. Data were presented, analysed and discussed according to the themes derived from the sub-research questions. It emerged from the study that while most women in both municipalities were aware of ICT, they are however facing ICT access challenges in most areas of the municipalities. The findings do not depict the South African government national ICT policy goals which realises the importance of technology in the integration of services for the development of rural areas. Designing intervention programs for secondary school girls and some rural women, as well as monitoring and evaluating ICT programs in rural areas are recommended. / Communication Science / MA ( Communication)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In Brazil, Primary Health Care is the gateway of users into the health system, based on individual and collective actions, presenting as one of the fundamental principles the universal and equitable access of the population to these actions. In order for this level of attention to be strengthened, guaranteeing access, evaluation is essential, as it allows to leverage available resources according to local demands. Thus, considering the importance of Primary Health Care as a health care provider, with access as an indispensable attribute and evaluation as a tool to change realities, the present study to evaluate the access in APS services of the municipalities that are part of the 4th Regional Health Coordination from the perspective of health professionals. It is a study with a quantitative, transversal approach, carried out in the Primary Health Care services of the 4th Regional Health Coordination of Rio Grande do Sul, composed of the Entre Rios and Verdes Campos Health Regions. Data collection took place between February and July 2015, using computerized Epi Info® 7.0 software, using tablets, with application of the Primary Care Assessment Tool-Brazil professional version. The sample comprised 207 higher-level health professionals. Statistical Analysis System (SAS) version 9.0 was used to analyze the data. The score was dichotomized at low score, if <6.6 or high score, if ≥6.6. The normality of the variables was evaluated by the Shapiro Wilk test. Pearsson's Correlation was used to verify the degree of relationship between First Contact Access items and the score, and Poisson Regression to identify the dependence between the score and its socio-spatial context. The ethical precepts respected Resolution 466/2012. The article 1, a descriptive study in which the attribute First Contact Access obtained a low score (4.68), being the issues related to the time and day of operation of the health unit, the ones that most influenced this result. Article 2, a multilevel study, with contextual and individual variables found low First Contact Access score in most of the municipalities surveyed (83.6%), presenting a level of significance only in the variable population size, in which municipalities with up to five thousand inhabitants Higher prevalence of the attribute. Article 3, a study of trends about access of the elderly in Primary Health Care, shows that access does not prevail as an object of research, related to quality of life and integral care of the elderly, as well as organizational and bureaucratic barriers. Article 4, integrative review on the access of the elderly in this level of attention, showed the Family Health as a facilitator of access, work processes and infrastructure as real barriers to elderly access. In this way, it can be seen that there are still barriers in access, mainly referring to the structure of primary health care services. This study is expected to help in the expansion and quality of the population's access to this level of care. / No Brasil, a Atenção Primária à Saúde é a porta de entrada dos usuários no sistema de saúde, fundamentando-se na realização de ações individuais e coletivas, apresentando como um dos princípios fundamentais o acesso universal e equânime da população a essas ações. Para que esse nível de atenção se fortaleça, garantindo o acesso, a avaliação é essencial, pois permite potencializar os recursos disponíveis conforme as demandas locais. Assim, considerando a importância da Atenção Primária à Saúde como ordenadora do sistema de saúde, tendo o acesso como um indispensável atributo e a avaliação como uma ferramenta para mudar as realidades, o presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar o acesso em serviços de APS dos municípios integrantes da 4ª Coordenadoria Regional de Saúde na perspectiva dos profissionais de saúde. Trata-se de estudo com abordagem quantitativa, transversal, realizado nos serviços de Atenção Primária à Saúde da 4ᵃ Coordenadoria Regional de Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul, composta pelas Regiões de Saúde Entre Rios e Verdes Campos. A coleta dos dados ocorreu entre os meses de fevereiro e julho de 2015, de maneira informatizada por meio do software Epi Info® 7.0, utilizando tabletes, com aplicação do instrumento Primary Care Assessment Tool-Brasil versão profissionais. Compuseram a amostra 207 profissionais de saúde de nível superior. Para a análise dos dados foi utilizado o Statistical Analisys System (SAS) versão 9.0. O escore foi dicotomizado em baixo escore, se <6,6 ou alto escore, se ≥6,6. A normalidade das variáveis foi avaliada pelo Teste de Shapiro Wilk. Utilizou-se a Correlação de Pearsson para verificar o grau de relacionamento entre os itens do Acesso de Primeiro Contato e o escore, e a Regressão de Poisson para identificar a dependência entre o escore e o seu contexto sócio-espacial. Os preceitos éticos respeitaram a Resolução 466/2012. O artigo 1, estudo descritivo em que o atributo Acesso de Primeiro Contato obteve-se um baixo escore (4,68), sendo as questões relativas ao horário e dia de funcionamento da unidade de saúde, as que mais contribuíram para esse resultado. O artigo 2, estudo multinível, com variáveis contextuais e individuais encontrou baixo escore Acesso de Primeiro Contato na maioria dos municípios pesquisados (83,6%), apresentando nível de significância apenas na variável porte populacional, em que os municípios com até cinco mil habitantes obtiveram maior prevalência do atributo. O artigo 3, estudo de tendências acerca do acesso do idoso na Atenção Primária à Saúde, mostra que o acesso não prevalece como objeto de pesquisa, vindo relacionado à qualidade de vida e integralidade da atenção dos idosos, além de barreiras organizacionais e burocráticas. O artigo 4, revisão integrativa sobre o acesso do idoso nesse nível de atenção, evidenciou a Saúde da Família como facilitadora do acesso, e os processos de trabalho e a infraestrutura como barreiras reais ao acesso do idoso. Dessa forma percebe-se que ainda há barreiras no acesso, principalmente referentes à estrutura dos serviços de Atenção Primária à Saúde. Espera-se que este estudo possa auxiliar na ampliação e qualidade do acesso da população esse nível de atenção.

The paper focuses on the issue of access control. It presents an universal bilateral protocol of access control of ACP. The paper describes the messages and its sequences that AC portals uses for communication. It describes the functions and features of the modules from which the portal is composed. The paper suggests the concept of a modular AC portal solutions including the design of basic modules. It also outlines possible test scenarios. Under this proposal is generated functional AC portal on the .NET Framework platform using the C\# programming language. The portal provides access to local assets or to the assets on other computers in the local network. Created application is tested according to the scenarios proposed in both the network version and the local version of the AC portal. Test results are objectively evaluated and commented.

This study investigates the use of telecentres for educational purposes in telecommunications under-serviced regions of South Africa. The problem addressed by this research has both equity and efficiency aspects. In particular, the thesis examines the impact of telecentres on the formal and non-formal education outcomes of recipient communities - four telecentres, two in townships and two in rural areas. The urban telecentres are Siyabonga in Orange Farm near Johannesburg and Mamelodi Communication and Information Services (MACIS), in Mamelodi township, near Pretoria in Gauteng Province. The rural telecentres are Tombo near Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape Province and Hoxani near Bushbuckridge on the Mpumalanga-Limpopo Province border. The main aim of the research is to conduct a quantitative survey of the telecentre users’ use of telecentres in the above mentioned locations. On the basis of this, the thesis seeks to come to some conclusions about the use and effectiveness of the South African telecentre program. The quantitative analysis of users is supported by a qualitative report and analysis of data gathered through personal interviews of telecentre operators and employees. The thesis reports on the outputs of the centres, limitations in their function, inhibitors to their economic performance, and recommendations for improving their operations. Some of the findings are that telecentres established through public-private partnership (PPP) funding are more effective and successful, computer literacy is a major resource offered, Hoxani telecentre offers outcomes-based education management skills training for local teachers, while Tombo, MACIS and Siyabonga telecentres offer additional business and electronic courses. The thesis also reviews the South African telecentre program against the background of similar programs in selected Asian and Latin American countries, Australia, Canada, and Europe and against the background of an analysis of South African post-apartheid telecommunications sector reforms (1996 to 2007). Insights into the unique nature of challenges facing geographically located telecentres as well as a new model for understanding telecentre operations in South Africa are offered. / Communication Science / D.Litt. et Phil.(Communication Science)

This study investigates the use of telecentres for educational purposes in telecommunications under-serviced regions of South Africa. The problem addressed by this research has both equity and efficiency aspects. In particular, the thesis examines the impact of telecentres on the formal and non-formal education outcomes of recipient communities - four telecentres, two in townships and two in rural areas. The urban telecentres are Siyabonga in Orange Farm near Johannesburg and Mamelodi Communication and Information Services (MACIS), in Mamelodi township, near Pretoria in Gauteng Province. The rural telecentres are Tombo near Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape Province and Hoxani near Bushbuckridge on the Mpumalanga-Limpopo Province border. The main aim of the research is to conduct a quantitative survey of the telecentre users’ use of telecentres in the above mentioned locations. On the basis of this, the thesis seeks to come to some conclusions about the use and effectiveness of the South African telecentre program. The quantitative analysis of users is supported by a qualitative report and analysis of data gathered through personal interviews of telecentre operators and employees. The thesis reports on the outputs of the centres, limitations in their function, inhibitors to their economic performance, and recommendations for improving their operations. Some of the findings are that telecentres established through public-private partnership (PPP) funding are more effective and successful, computer literacy is a major resource offered, Hoxani telecentre offers outcomes-based education management skills training for local teachers, while Tombo, MACIS and Siyabonga telecentres offer additional business and electronic courses. The thesis also reviews the South African telecentre program against the background of similar programs in selected Asian and Latin American countries, Australia, Canada, and Europe and against the background of an analysis of South African post-apartheid telecommunications sector reforms (1996 to 2007). Insights into the unique nature of challenges facing geographically located telecentres as well as a new model for understanding telecentre operations in South Africa are offered. / Communication Science / D.Litt. et Phil.(Communication Science)