Digital Divide in This Knowledge-Based Thesis

[Harouna Ba]

Thus focusing on the digital divide only in terms of physical access to technology provides only a narrow and limited view of the actual problem. Digital divide is a multidimensional issue that needs a more thorough approach. Also, the core issue of functionally illiteracy (21% of Americans) and limited literacy of tens of millions of American people has to be addressed. [May Monten, 2007] Combating digital divide therefore extends beyond guaranteeing access to the information highway and necessitates solving these core educational issues by implementing reforms in educational policies that target these central problems. There is a need for a change in the strategic objective from just increasing penetration and access to information technology tools for communities towards a plan that involves the integration of these technological tools into the existing community programs. Only such a practical, integrated approach would yield the full potential that the Internet and information technology promises to offer. [Harouna Ba]

First and foremost, we have to ensure that financial and economic obstacles do not impede access to information technology. Next, we have to remove the other obstacle of strategic negligence. Focus on providing access to technology has to extend beyond the simple access to computer hardware and software. Programs should look into the demands of the community, cater to the culture and the linguistic needs of the population, and design and implement training interventions that serve to maximize digital opportunities.It is important to not only understand the barriers to access but also to design appropriate programs to cater to the technological needs of the community. There is a dearth of research that focuses on community level technology access needs as well as the usefulness and effectiveness of the initiatives that are implemented. Programs that have a community focus and build community partnerships with regular evaluation for performance will be the most successful in encouraging active community participation. These reforms and new approaches are to be undertaken to bridge the digital divide. Only if this happens we can successfully go from digital divide to digital opportunities.

Bibliography

1) Harouna Ba, 'What is the digital Divide', retrieved Dec 10th 2009, from, http://tcla.gseis.ucla.edu/divide/politics/ba.html

2) Su-Houn Liu, Yu-Hsieh Sung & Hsiu-Li Liao (2006), 'Developing Sustainable Digital

Opportunity: The Case of Lalashan DOWEB Model', Issues in Information Systems,

Volume VII, No. 1, 2006, retrieved Dec 10th 2009, from http://www.iacis.org/iis/2006_iis/PDFs/Liu_Sung_Liao.pdf

3) May Monten, (2007), 'More than One third of Washington DC residents are

Functionally illiterate', retrieved Dec 10th 2009, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/183792/more_than_onethird_of_washington_dc.html.....