Considers issues of equality of opportunity and access for educational computer use, including those of socioeconomic status, ethnic minority status, and gender. Suggests ways to promote equitable computer use. Intuitive evidence suggests that adding technology to the curriculum is likely to favor the relatively advantaged students with access to…

Describes a program developed at Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College (PA) for inner-city minority girls to use computer technology that was otherwise unavailable to them. Highlights include access issues, gender issues, girls' preferences in a learning environment, making technology relevant, introducing new skills, creating Web page, and…

Discusses the need to assist minority students in using computer applications to increase their chances of academic and job success. Topics include benefits of technology; equal access; use of the Internet to broaden ethnic and cultural interaction; creating optimum learning; cultural differences; and nonverbal communication. (LRW)

Describes a case study involving the implementation of computer-mediated communications via the Internet linking two university instructional design classes in two different countries. Includes examples from student discussions, demonstrates the impact of discussions on the design projects, and considers access to computers and implications for…

Discusses the growth of electronic commerce as well as electronic education and suggests ways that schools and public libraries can help overcome inequity of access. Highlights include access to the Internet and computers; educational levels; Blacks; race and ethnic origin; rural access; use of the Internet; and income. (LRW)

Explains haptic computer interfaces for Web sites that relay touch-sensory feedback to the user. Discusses the importance of touch to cognition and learning; whether haptics can improve performance and learning; haptic interfaces for accessibility for blind and physically impaired users; comparisons of haptic devices; barriers to implementation;…

Examines how computer use affects children's development, disparities between rich and poor, and how computers enhance learning, noting risks and benefits. Recommendations to improve computer access and use at home and school include: researchers must study the effects of extended computer use on child development, and parents should limit the…

This study focused on efforts in four colleges of education in their approaches to prepare preservice teachers to use technology. Topics include leadership, training and support; access to hardware and software; educational technology courses; field experiences; distance learning; and student attitudes and skills. (Author/LRW)

Presents findings from an empirical study of community information exchange, computer access and use among lowincome, predominantly AfricanAmerican residents in one locale. Results indicate that, while computer use is minimal, many lowincome community members are poised to participate in the local development of networked information services.…

This article presents an interview with Tom Peters, an academic librarian and founder of TAP Information Services, a firm that provides consulting services to libraries and other organizations in the information industry. Peters also serves as a consultant to LibraryCity, an ambitious project that seeks to make thousands of e-books in easy-to-use…

Universities worldwide are reconfiguring their campus environments to respond to the emerging pedagogy within higher education with its emphasis on self-directed, collaborative, and problem-solving approaches to learning. In particular, there is an emphasis on forming "learning communities." In this context libraries are increasingly…

The authors discuss an innovative study-abroad program implemented by a large university in the Midwestern United States. In partnership with a French business school, a program was established incorporating project-based learning, a multi-national student population, and a three-month residency in France by U.S.-based students and faculty.…

This article reports on a study which investigated the impact of globalization on scientific research in Nigeria. The research data were collected using a questionnaire survey which was administered to academics in science-based disciplines in four Nigerian universities: University of Calabar, University of Uyo, University of Lagos and University…

Assistive Technology (AT) helps a person with a physical, cognitive, learning, or speech disability perform tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. There are hundreds of specialized AT devices on the market, but their price tags often prevent their use in elementary science classrooms. Fortunately, affordable technologies "are"…

Distance education and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been marketed as cost-effective ways to rescue struggling educational institutions in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study uses classroom video analysis and follow-up interviews with teachers, students, and local tutors to analyse…