Internet connections at Detroit schools have been so slow that teachers and students don't bother surfing the Internet. But that will soon change because the Comcast Corporation has begun a one-year, $25 million project to provide high-speed cable modem access to public and private schools and public libraries throughout the city by the end of 2000, the Detroit News reports.

The Coleman A. Young elementary school this week became the first Detroit school to receive Comcast@home cable modem connections. Eight computers in its media center will be hooked up for now, with plans to connect computers in every classroom soon.

"We will (soon) fund Internet training workshops for educators in partnership with universities," Comcast Vice President George E. Booth told the Detroit News. "It's not enough to connect teachers and students to the Web. Internet training is critical for putting today's students on the information superhighway.

Comcast@home cable modems allow school computers to connect to the Internet at speeds up to 100 times faster than previous online services.

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