Discusses the use of computer conferencing in education; addresses difficulties involved in conferencing software, including computer literacy, the communications technology, the conferencing interface, integration with other software, and limitations on access; and describes FICS (Friendly Interface to Conferencing System) that was developed at…

Discusses work of the Educational Enterprise Zone, a consortium of educational providers who create programming for all levels of classrooms to be delivered via videoconferencing. Topics include the variety of teachers and learners in the community, facilitating access to technology, and enhanced learning through collaboration with community…

Describes findings of a report issued by the United States Department of Commerce that revealed the "digital divide" between households of different races and income levels is growing. Highlights two partnership projects offering computer training and equipment donations. (AEF)

Describes how the Rochester Public Library (Minnesota) managed public access to the Internet for both residents and non-resident patrons. Discusses user needs, staff involvement, system software, fees, and handicapped accessibility. (LRW)

Discusses the growing gap between people and communities who have access to information technology and those who do not, known as the digital divide. Considers issues concerning access, in schools and in homes; content; literacy; pedagogy, including constructivist practices and teachers' professional development; and community. (LRW)

Discusses ethical issues concerning public Internet access in academic libraries. Highlights include intellectual freedom, censorship, technical aspects of limiting or restricting use, legal liability for public use of computers for illegal purposes such as child pornography, and the importance of priority use of terminals by the primary academic…

In light of the compliance requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this article explains adaptive computing technology and its use in the design of a new implementation of ORION, the online information system at the University of California Los Angeles. Addresses, both postal and electronic when possible, are provided for several…

The Computer Literacy Assessment Tool (CLAT) (Hackbarth, 1997) was administered to third-grade classes over the course of one academic year, measuring factors that affected changes in students' computer literacy. Results presented here focus primarily on the impact of classroom computer access on computer vocabulary, and the extent to which…

Image maps are a means of making a picture "clickable", so that different portions of the image can be hyperlinked to different URLS. There are two basic types of image maps: server-side and client-side. Besides requiring access to a CGI on the server, server-side image maps are undesirable from the standpoint of accessibility--creating…

The goal of this exploratory research study was to use the self-directed learning framework in a nonformal learning environment to determine how an underserved community would use technology. The factors that support self-directed learning in a nonformal learning environment were the ability to communicate, access information, and acquire…

I conducted teacher research in a basic writing computer classroom to discover what two basic writers brought to the computer classroom that could complicate their interactions with technology and their ability to write with computers during our class. My discussion is twofold: First, I explore the writers' differing attitudes towards computers,…

Because access to new technologies is unequally distributed, there has been considerable debate about the growing gap between the so-called information-rich and information-poor. Such concerns have led to high-profile information technology policy initiatives in many countries. In Australia, in an attempt to 'redress the balance between the…

Over two and a half years, the authors conducted a detailed survey of 1101 adults in England and Wales, 100 follow-up interviews and year-long case studies of 25 families. The data have led them to construct a rich and often thought-provoking picture of how adults are using information and communications technologies (ICTs) in their day-to-day…

As universities and history departments argue over how best to make history "relevant" to students of the twenty-first century, and as professors are increasingly under pressure to integrate technology into their courses, many questions remain unanswered as to the usefulness, reliability, and pedagogical soundness of the new and ever-changing…

What is the role of early education programs in bridging the digital divide-helping all children become skilled technology users? Blagojevic addresses three issues: access, literacy/learning, and content. She discusses finding or funding computers for the classroom (access) and professional development to support teachers' computer skills…