Activity 10-Access Issues

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Gender bias refers to the biases inherent in technological application and use. Boys are more inclined to use technology in an interactive way while girls tend to use technology as a means to an end. For example, boys enjoy playing games and doing simulations on a computer while girls use the computer for word processing or graphic arts. Boys are more likely to have  sustained interest as they grow; girls' interest tends to wane. These trends need to be addressed. Are we encouraging boys toward technology and steering girls away? Or is the basic nature of the male predisposed to such interest? Should we attempt to influence sex linked behaviors to encourage equal gender access or are today's statistics a result of inequitable training and encouragement? Interesting questions to ponder...

The most obvious access issue focuses on socioeconomic implications. Obviously, without financial resources, access to equipment is limited. Affluent school districts are blessed with adequate funding and home situations that support technology experience. Less wealthy school systems lack resources to fund extravagant purchases and their school populations come from impoverished households unable to provide access at home. I don't have the solution to provide equitable distribution of school resources but feel it is necessary to equalize the playing field.

It is also important to consider international trends. Since only about 3% of the world population is online, geography plays a role in the potential for access. Internet service providers vary greatly internationally and can limit connection availability despite economics. Will such access or lack thereof contribute to the "digital divide" described by Lloyd Morrisett of the Markle Foundation or will the web bring remote peoples together because physical distance is no longer a barrier?

Culture can influence access as well. Communities that value modernization and change will support access to technology. Cultures based on tradition and history may reject opportunities for access (i.e. the Amish). Similarly. statistics relative to race and technology access reveal strong prejudice against minority use. African Americans often don't see value in the Web and its use. In the U.S., the only sub group of minority access that approaches that of white America is use by minority adults with an income over 40 thousand dollars a year. (CTER White Papers). The majority of access (for mainstream Americans and minorities) is at the workplace but mainstream access is much more likely at home than minority access is.

Physical disabilities also need accommodation to provide for equal access. Current developments of voice recognition, telecommunications devices like TDD or TTY,  FM auditory links for hearing impaired students to teacher microphones, and the use of  Hypermedia presentations simplify a teacher's ability to accommodate hearing impaired students. In addition,  the use of SAMI  (Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange, a Microsoft initiative) allows authors of Web pages and multimedia software to add closed captioning. Students with visual impairments, learning disabilities and mobility disabilities can also benefit from new technology that allows greater participation is traditional classroom activity as well as providing better access to computer learning. Such devices and suggested teaching strategies are thoroughly discussed in the CTER White Paper sections "Visual Disabilities" and "Other Disabilities."

As Margie Adkins pointed out, the two basic barriers to equal access are money and human frailties. Without an adequate technology budget, hardware and software availability will be lacking. If the classroom teacher does not get support and training, she will be unable to provide equal access for all students.  Whether a student has a physical or psychological handicap, awareness of that child's special needs and strategies to accommodate those needs is invaluable. Once again, the bottom line is the need for increased funding.

Finally, it is very interesting to note that students comprise the largest number of web users. We educators must be doing something right.

I found many wonderful resources that discuss a wide range of issues relative to access.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, WC3 Recommendation, May, 1999 outline specific publishing techniques.

The NCSA Mosaic Access Page is a resource for those interested in how people with disabilities can use the internet and the World Wide Web.

The article "Closing the Equity Gap in Technology Access and Use: A Practical Guide for K-12 Educators" will help you "find out what you can do to help ensure equity in educational technology. Select a topic to view or a checklist of questions  to assess how well  you are providing equity in educational technology. Next, select intervention strategies for ideas on how district administrators, school staff in general, and classroom teachers in particular can improve equity in a given area."

Equity and the ‘Big Picture’ By Henry Jay Becker Equity discusses issues surrounding the use of technology in our schools. Becker believes it goes "beyond just counting who has access to how many machines. What good will it do to supply schools with the latest technological wonders if their potential isn't realized? ... Becker says Americans can't afford the price we'll pay if we don't address quality of use as well as access—and soon."

Achieving Technological Equity and Equal Access to the Learning Tools of the 21st Century

Ensuring Equitable Use of Education Technology

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Last updated 11/9/99.