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PARTNERS IN LEARNING: FAMILY ACCESS MUST BE A PRIORITY   For all its connective potential, the information superhighway can also divide. A number of studies reveal a growing information gap between income groups: ~ 82% of high school students from the most affluent families have access to computers at home, compared to 14% of poorer students. ~ 62% of schools with higher income students have Internet access, compared with 31% of schools with students from poorer families. There is also a gap between blacks and whites. A February 1998 study by Vanderbilt University found that: ~ 73% of white high school and college students have a home computer compared to 32% of black students. A recent U. S. Department of Commerce report shows that these disparities cross economic lines: ~ Across all incomes, about 41% of white families have home computers, but only about 19% of black and Hispanic families do. U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley warns of "a growing concern as we enter the new century that the technology gap will worsen." Clearly, efforts to reach out to families through cyberspace must include strategies to ensure access. ~ One library used grant funds to set up computers with Internet access at neighborhood centers and social service agencies. ~ The parks department of one Indiana city runs computer labs at recreation sites. Internet access is provided by the school corporation. ~ Public housing facilities are creating computer labs with modems and printers for the use of residents. E-mail accounts can also be established. ~ Some schools with Internet access are open in the evenings for parents and others. Parent and student volunteers provide training. Written by The Family Connection of St. Joseph County, Inc. for Partners in Learning [Vol 2:1, 1998] a newsletter of the Indiana Center for Family, School & Community Partnerships. If you would like more information about using technology to involve families, contact the Center at 317-205-2595 or email: fscp@indy.net Back to Partners in Learning Contents | Return to top | Next Article: Buddy Connects!

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