The requirements of No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) has presented challenges for schools and districts across the United States such as a new need to focus on test scores and student achievement. While all states, districts, and schools face challenges that require them to adjust the structure and delivery of instruction in their schools,…

Speech recognition technology helps people with disabilities interact with computers more easily. People with motor limitations, who cannot use a standard keyboard and mouse, can use their voices to navigate the computer and create documents. The technology is also useful to people with learning disabilities who experience difficulty with spelling…

This study examined new teachers' use of technology in the classroom. Data were collected from 28 former elementary and middle school majors who were currently teaching in schools near the university they had attended. Teachers completed a survey instrument, and the researcher visited their classrooms. Very few of the teachers had easy access to…

As computers become more prevalent and computer skills more necessary, there continues to be a "digital divide" between those with computer access and skills and those without. These differences are less pronounced in skills where children's access to computers and the Internet are more prevalent. Noting that few studies have focused…

The digital divide is a commonly used term in today's society, but few truly understand the impact that it has on minority students. This issue is one that goes beyond access to technology, but encompasses issues of equity in use. This paper examines the data on home and school computer use by minority students. It discusses the College Reach-Out…

This study examined academic library usage and outcomes. The objective of the study was to understand how academic libraries help students learn and assist faculty with teaching and research. From March to May 2005, nine Colorado institutions administered two online questionnaires--one to undergraduate students and another to faculty members who…

In their 1989 report to the Colorado General Assembly, the Colorado Telecommunications Advisory Commission expressed the widely held belief that regardless of where they live, all Colorodans deserve and can benefit from a statewide telecommunications infrastructure connecting all Colorado schools, libraries, institutions of higher education and…

This research is mainly concerned with the costs of computers in schools in developing countries. It starts with a brief overview of the information revolution and its consequences. It then briefly examines some of the arguments for the use of computers in schools in developing countries, before reviewing previous work undertaken on the costs of…

This paper addresses the issue of how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to commercial and other private sector Web sites. Beginning with a brief discussion of the role electronic communication plays in our lives, the paper then considers the placement of the ADA in the context of current technology and of computer usage in the…

This paper describes a university German teacher's experience using the file transfer capabilities of the Blackboard Internet tool. The introduction highlights some of the features and advantages of Blackboard. The first section discusses teacher empowerment, noting that the Internet empowers the teacher by providing the wealth of the worlds…

Investigates the status of gender and computer use in education based on a study by the IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement). Results indicate possible causes of gender differences include parental support, access to computers, lack of female role models, and types of computer activities in schools.…

This special issue presents articles contributed by academics from the Asia-Pacific region on perspectives and progress made in online learning and information technology (IT). The articles discuss online learning and IT efforts in South Korea, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Guam, and New Zealand. (AEF)

Describes a study of attitudes and behaviors of Internet-using public middle and high school students based on the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Highlights include education-related Internet uses; the role of school administrators; variation in teacher policies; and barriers to school Internet use, including quality of access and…

Describes the St. Louis Community College (Missouri) library's use of laptop computers in the instruction lab as a way to save space and wiring costs. Discusses the pros and cons of wireless library instruction-advantages include its flexibility and its ability to eliminate cabling. (NB)

Discusses students' equitable access to technology and considers whether the quality of access is comparable. Highlights include home computers and socioeconomic differences, computers in schools, how computers are used in school, gender issues, students with special needs, and examples of elementary and secondary schools that have overcome…