While the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education at all levels has experienced exponential growth throughout the world, this expansion has not been uniform. Many developing countries and small island developing states lag behind in their educational technology development, although some have been making rapid progress. For the small island states of the Pacific, Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean – many facing problems of smallness, isolation, and scattered populations – effective leveraging of ICTs is an urgent development requirement. In some ways, these small island states have proven to be good laboratories for innovative uses of ICTs. This Policy Brief looks at how ICTs have been utilized in the small island developing states, with emphasis on the Pacific and Caribbean Islands, and what the future policy options may be for both national institutions and governments.
