Digital Divide Still Separates Students
- Published:
- Briefs, Case Studies, Papers, Reports
- Author(s) and Contributors:
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Author(s): Ben Feller
- Source(s) and Collection(s):
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Sources(s): Community
Abstract
According to new data from the National Center for Education Statistics, despite an overall increase in computer usage among students, minorities continue to trail in their levels of Internet access. The data, gathered from a 2003 survey, indicate that while two-thirds of white students use the Internet, just 47 percent of black students and 44 percent of Hispanic students do so. Due to increasing computer access at schools, the gaps are lower during the school day.At home, however, 54 percent of white students have Internet access, compared to 27 percent of black and 26 percent of Hispanic students.Mark Lloyd, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, expressed strong concern about the persistence of the digital divide."This creates incredible barriers for minorities," he said, "[narrowing] their ability to even think about the kind of work they can be doing."