Schools Deploy Wireless for Communication,
Security
Feb. 2005
A couple years ago, the Southwest Allen County Schools in
Fort Wayne, Ind., decided that a wireless LAN would be a great
addition to bring Internet access to a few science labs in
two elementary schools. Adding an 802.11b access point in
the labs would be an easy way to extend Internet coverage
to teachers and students.
But soon, the district realized it could do more with wireless.
First, the district decided to implement wireless throughout
the school, so students and teachers would have Internet access
anywhere, and would not have to switch to a different computer
when they left the science labs.
Then, the school realized that wireless networks could also
support voice and other communications throughout the schools'
campuses. It decided to support voice service so teachers,
administrators, and custodians could have phone access anywhere,
for communications with administrators and parents. For example,
a teacher could call parents during outdoor activities or
from their classrooms, so the students would still be monitored
while teachers gained the ability to place calls during more
parts of the day. One example, says Reithmiller, is that students
could call parents who appeared to be late picking up their
children to see where they are, rather than ask a student
to go into the school office and ask a secretary to find the
parent.
In today's security-conscious school environment — shaken
by school shootings such as the incident a few years back
at the Columbine school in Colorado and by an overall fear
of terrorist attacks — another wireless benefit is the
ability to send messages among teachers and staff in case
of emergencies or intrusions. That would let staff get alerts
silently, rather than through the public-address system, so
students would not be panicked. In the case of a hostage taking
or shooting, teachers and staff could contact each other to
report on student and staff status silently, rather than risking
exposure when a cell phone rings..
Because wireless LANs support IP telephony, deploying the
two together is a natural pairing. The district is now looking
to expand its wireless network to cover its other schools,
at a pace of about one per year.
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