This publication summarizes the lessons learned during 2002 in a collaborative project that had two central goals: (1) to assess the current thinking on sustainability and outlays for educational technology (edtech) investments by using as national case studies the cities of Chicago, Cleveland and Milwaukee; and (2) to highlight critical issues…

In spring 2001, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges passed a resolution whose aim is to narrow the digital divide among California community college students. The digital divide is defined as the disparity between those who have access to technology and those who do not. The resolution suggests two questions: (1) How has…

Often funding agencies and donor governments face the question of whether should they support information and communication (ICT) technologies activities in their development projects. Should the money be invested in computers and communication devices or will it be better spent on food, shelter, health, and education? The choice need not be…

This brief paper considers ways in which people with sensory impairments can benefit from the assistive technology available with computers. Assistive technology practitioners are urged not to focus on the disability, but on the individual's abilities and the tasks to be performed. Explanations of the major sensory disability areas precedes…

In February 2000, the Benton Foundation, with the Center for Children and Technology, released "The E-Rate in America: A Tale of Four Cities." This report is a continuation of that work. Two overarching concerns have emerged in the current policy climate: it is imperative that the E-Rate program is structured in such a way as to maximize…

This report presents the findings from a personal computer (PC) and Internet Survey administered to Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) students in spring 1999. The survey measured students' access to and knowledge of personal computers, e-mail, and the Internet--both at home and at work. There was a 65% response rate, with 353 of 540…

An Australian study of 100 computer using secondary school teachers investigated gender issues in educational computing (physical, environmental, social, and human resource problems and teacher perceptions of collegial help and self-knowledge). The study found that, though barriers to computer integration are fewer, some remain: lack of access,…

Describes a study in Israel that was conducted to examine the attitudes of dropout adolescents to electronic learning and to compare these to the attitudes of normative 10th graders. Considers demographic differences, including parents' education and computer ownership; motivation; enjoyment; cognition; and accessibility of computers. (LRW)

Describes a writing program that addresses adult students' limited access to computers and the program's effect on a pilot group of students. Offers some preliminary conclusions about the effects of computer availability on teaching methodology. (MS)

Large print/enhanced image computer access products for low-vision individuals are reviewed. The products ("DP-11/Plus,""Large Print DOS,""Lyon Large Print,""PC Lens,""Vista/Vista 2," and "ZoomText") work interactively with most application programs and DOS in IBM environments. Features…

Explains the CEO Forum on Education and Technology and describes their efforts to examine the progress public schools are making in using technology to improve education so that students graduate with the skills they need in the business world. Discusses hardware, network and Internet connectivity, digital content, and teachers' professional…

A three-year study (grades 3-5) of two groups of elementary school students determined that writing quality improved in a high-computer-access school, as indicated by holistic measures of writing message (meaning and content quality) and medium (quality of the form and surface features). In-class observation supported the contention that word…

In a lawsuit brought by six Virginia public university professors, a federal district court ruled that access to Internet material for academic purposes was a matter of public concern and that plaintiffs' interest in that material outweighed the state's regulating interests. The Fourth Circuit's reversal gave the state extensive authority over…

Discusses concerns at the Arizona State University library regarding inappropriate uses of their public workstations, including Web surfing, personal email, and accessing pornography. Describe data collection techniques, including observation and electronic data collection software, which investigated use and availability data for workstations.…

The recent wave of innovation and adaptation to information technologies, giving rise to a new form of human technogenesis, is changing our everyday interactions in an unprecedented and paradigmatic manner, potentially reconstructing the nature and process of human development. (Contains 4 tables, 1 figure, and 3 notes.)