Before I started this assignment I thought the only barriers to being technologically savvy were due to socioeconomic factors. I realized that I couldn't have been more wrong. While socioeconomic are a factor, they most certainly aren't the only one. To start the access assignment I went to Bobby to check out my pages. Fortunately they passed, which was a function of boring design rather than my intent to be accessible. I never gave much thought to having images labeled, but I see now that I should. People with visual impairments need to know what importance an image has, if any. I understand that I should encourage my students as they are making their projects to think of people that will not be able to picture the image as the students see it. I think I am not alone when I say that I wasn't trying to be inaccessible, but I clearly was. My intentions were good and now they are better. I will make sure to do the simple task of giving alternate text and, more importantly, encourage my students to think about ways to make their pages accessible. My students are the next generation of computer programmers and web masters. I think that if the accessibility issue is raised early and often it will have a positive impact on society. I want my students to be able to think outside of the box, so to speak. I want them to try to make the 'World Wide Web' truly world wide and not just the 'United States Web.'
     My original thoughts on accessibility revolved around socioeconomic status. I was alarmed at the statistics put forth in the CTER White Papers about number of households connected in the different backgrounds. In the past the lack of funds was a major deterrent in the area of accessibility. Fortunately, the prices of computers has been falling steadily which I hope has a positive impact on who has computer access at home. I would agree with Diane in saying that some of the accessibility issues are not really present. If someone is determined to go on-line there are many places a person could turn to, such as a school or the library. In 1996 the Telecommunications Act was passed at the national level. This bill drove the price of connectivity lower which enabled more public places to have internet access. If things go as President Clinton would like, by the year 2007 every household will be hooked up to the internet. It is my hope that the computer and the internet become 'invisible technology' in the near future.