In this paper we aim to do an exploratory approach to the knowledge and use of digital tools by Ciganos. The principal axes are the follow: i) the fact that the Ciganos continue to be marked as those that are poorer, excluded and socially marginalized (FRA, 2012); ii) among which meet the highest illiteracy rates, early school drop-out and school failure (Mendes, Magano and Candeias, 2014); iii) those with lower educational qualifications and professional swelling the ranks of registered unemployed at the Portuguese Centre of Employment (Pereira and Magano, 2016), through the analysis of data from various sources (national and international literature and results of some projects of research recent) is reflected on the challenges posed to the persons of Ciganos origin, educational institutions and the knowledge society, to question educational policies and practices that have not been able to reduce illiteracy and promote school success and literacy functional of this population. Cumulatively, the majority of the Ciganos in Portugal is also unprepared to meet the challenges posed by a digital and digitized society by handicapping sum in terms of acquisition of school skills and literacy (in the classical sense and also in digital sense). The results of our research and also in other international research (Zezulkova, 2016) we can see the emergence of a growing interest, especially from the new generation of children and young Ciganos but also by older people, for the use of new technologies, and to be "networking" aspects that are being incorporated into everyday life.

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Ciganos; education; illiteracy; (I) digital literacy