Impact of Low-Cost, On-demand, Information Access in a Remote Ghanaian Village

Emerging technologies provide information topeople living in rural poverty. However, using information toaffect health or farming practices requires overcoming uniquechallenges including illiteracy and lack of electricity. Weexamine the effects of a low-cost audio computer ("TalkingBook")-a handheld device enabling users to create, listen to,and copy recordings-for improving learning and knowledgesharing in such environments. In northern Ghana, we studiedthe impact of giving rural villagers on-demand access toguidance created by local experts. Our evaluation showsTalking Books significantly impact learning, behavior change,and crop yields in a village with low literacy rates and noelectricity.