Introduction

Each year since 1995 project DO-IT has coordinated Internet activities at selected summer camps run by other organizations. DO-IT staff teach campers how to send messages to their friends and family with electronic mail, use the World Wide Web for fun and education, explore Internet tools, and create World Wide Web pages for their camps. DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, & Technology) is a nation-wide program housed at the University of Washington in Seattle. It serves to increase the productive use of technology by students with a wide variety of abilities and disabilities. It has received numerous awards, including the National Information Infrastructure Award in Education and the Presidential Award for Mentoring.

Computer and Internet activities at the camps vary depending on the campers served and the program needs of the sponsoring camp organizations. Some are day camps where local children and youth drop by for basic Internet training each day. Some are residential camps where campers stay for a week or more. In some settings campers are scheduled into the computer lab for short Internet sessions while other campers choose to swim, hike, boat, or do crafts; others offer an intense camp session for those who especially wish to learn about the Internet, employment, and college. Some are for young learners; some are for teens; some serve a mix of ages. What all offerings have in common are active learning, full inclusion, and fun.

DO-IT offers assistance to camping programs that want to add a technology component to their offerings. Free and low cost training materials, videotapes, brochures, and World Wide Web resources are available from DO-IT.

The materials provided in this packet were developed to help camps for children and youth provide Internet program offerings. It is my hope that they will help other camps "do it," too. Enjoy this challenging and rewarding adventure!

Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.
Director, DO-IT
University of Washington
sherylb@uw.edu
staff.washington.edu/sherylb