The existence of a "digital divide" in which portions of society do not have sufficient access to technology or the information and skills that technology use imparts was of concern for educators and policy makers even before home computers were easily connected to the Internet. As new technologies (such as broadband Internet access), and new uses for technology (such as interactive websites for homework) are developed, new levels of the divide will appear, certainly to the extent that children in low income homes do not gain access to the same level of information at the same rate as other children. In an era in which funding may be difficult to obtain, the development of tested, scalable, affordable solutions should therefore be a mandate for educators.