Digital literacy has become an essential skill for individuals preparing to reenter society after incarceration, according to recent research by RTI International and Ithaka S+R. Their findings indicate that access to technology in correctional facilities is a critical factor in helping incarcerated people successfully transition back into their communities.
“Providing quality access to technology in prisons and jails is a key step in preparing individuals who are incarcerated for life after release. It is, therefore, essential that administrators and instructors are provided with adequate resources, professional development opportunities, and the necessary infrastructure to intentionally integrate technology into education and training programs in corrections,” the organizations stated.
Studies have shown that both college programs and community organizations face challenges when teaching digital skills and providing technology access to formerly incarcerated students. These challenges can hinder students’ ability to navigate increasingly digital learning environments.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Teaching Skills that Matter framework identifies five core digital proficiencies: basic computer skills, network literacy, digital problem solving, information literacy, and media literacy. These skills are also highlighted as important workplace competencies in the Employability Skills Framework.
Despite the growing importance of these abilities on college campuses—where most communication and services rely on technology—many incarcerated students have limited opportunities to develop such skills due to restricted digital access inside correctional institutions. As a result, they are often excluded from key campus services like financial aid, academic advising, and tutoring. Staff must then find alternative ways to deliver these services, which can strain resources.
Collaborative efforts are underway to address some of these barriers. For example, joint projects such as digital skills mentorship programs supported by Loyola Rayburn aim to assist reentry by demonstrating its complexity to faculty, staff, and policymakers through simulations.
Research emphasizes that integrating digital literacy instruction throughout all levels of education is necessary for effective skill-building. The Digital Resilience in the American Workforce (DRAW) study found contextualization—a strategy where learners practice digital skills in real-world settings—and peer mentoring can be particularly effective instructional approaches.
These methods are being applied within correctional education as well. In 2024-25, RTI International provided technical assistance funded by the U.S. Department of Education to six states developing educational technology ecosystems for correctional education. Teams composed of corrections administrators and educators worked on establishing strategies for using technology within their programs.
One example comes from Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), which developed a course focused on building basic computer skills using tools like Blackboard and open-source textbooks. The program was piloted with a small group before revisions were made based on feedback; plans call for expanding it statewide so more individuals can build digital proficiency prior to release.
To further strengthen digital literacy among incarcerated learners—who often have varying familiarity with technology—experts recommend regular access to vetted technological tools aligned with learning goals; integration of digital instruction across subjects; project-based activities allowing real-world application; and training for instructors as well as other facility staff who support technology use inside prisons or jails.
Despite progress made through pilot programs and collaborative initiatives, gaps remain regarding best practices for scaling up digital literacy instruction across different types of correctional education programs. Researchers suggest more studies could help identify effective strategies adaptable from community settings into corrections environments.
“We believe that additional research and evaluation could help to identify and document effective, holistic, and seamless strategies for building digital literacy across adult education, career and technical education, postsecondary education, and reentry programs. This in turn could inform development of enhanced tools and resources for integrating digital literacy into existing instructional programs,” the organizations concluded.
