The Digital Divide Kevin Baker Andrew Goff Christie Wheeler

2 What Is the Digital Divide? In just about every country, a certain percentage of people have the best information technology that society has to offer. These people have the most powerful computers, the best telephone service and the fastest Internet connection, as well as a wealth of content and training relevant to their lives.

3 There is another group of people. They are the people who for one reason or another don’t have access to the newest or best computers, the most reliable telephone service or the fastest or most convenient Internet service. The difference between these two groups of people is what we call the Digital Divide.

4 The gap in the digital divide is getting larger, as it relates to the poor.

5 U.S. Household Computer Penetration Gap by Income By Race/Origin vs. 1998

6 Percent of U.S. Households with a Modem By Income (Selected Years)

7 Those who are poor and live in rural areas are about 20 times more in danger of being left behind than wealthier resident of urban area

8 Percent of U.S. Households with Online Service by Income By U.S., Rural, Urban, and Central City Areas 1997

9 Regardless of income level, Americans living in rural areas are lagging behind in Internet access. Indeed, at the lowest income levels, those in urban areas are more than twice as likely to have Internet access than those earning the same income in rural areas.

10 Percent of U.S. Households with a Computer By U.S., Rural, Urban, and Central City Areas 1994, 1997, 1998

11 Percent of U.S. Households Using the Internet By Race/Origin By U.S., Rural, Urban, and Central City Areas 1998

12 Percent of U.S. Households with a Computer By Race/Origin By U.S., Rural, Urban, and Central City Areas

13 Whites are more likely to have a computer at home and access to the Internet from home than Blacks or Hispanics have from any location.

14 The gaps between White and Hispanic households, and between White and Black households, continues to widen rather than decrease. Percent of US Homes with a Computer between 95 and 00

15

16 Percent of U.S. Households with a Computer By Race/Origin By U.S., Rural, Urban, and Central City Areas 1998

17 Americans with some college and or a degree are more likely to have Internet access than those with only a high school diploma or less.

18 Percent of U.S. Households with a Modem By Education (Selected Years)

19 Percent of U.S. Households Using the Internet By Education By U.S., Rural, Urban, and Central City Areas 1998

20 Teachers need to take on the responsibility to teach students the skills needed to succeed in school including technology, but learning how to use the technology will not address the economic, race and location issues that play an important role in the divide. CONCLUSION