Attributes of North Carolina school systems that account for discrepancies in students' opportunities to learn about and with computers were investigated in this study, which explored relationships between microcomputer availability and financial and demographic data for a sample of 141 school districts to explore the dimensions of equity in…

This document consists of a compilation of nine articles, on computer literacy, that have been extracted from the 1984-1985 issues of the journal "The Computing Teacher". The articles include: (1) "ICLEP (Individual Computer Literacy Education Plan): A Powerful Idea" (David Moursund); (2) "Computers, Kids, and Values"…

Policy strategies for integrating microcomputers into public school curricula in a manner conducive to quality control and social equity are described. Educators should establish and maintain standards of excellence for instructional software, evaluating it prior to purchase, informing parents of purchasing criteria, and providing a list of…

One of three publications of the Research on Equitable Access to Technology (REAT) project, this practitioner's handbook is designed to assist educators in the design and implementation of computer instruction programs for underserved groups of students, including low-income, minority, low-achieving, limited-English speaking, female, and rural…

One of three publications of the Research on Equitable Access to Technology project, this paper provides a literature review of the issues surrounding the provision of equitable access to computers for all children. Both the extent and types of inequities are explored, including hardware and software issues, and language and sex inequities. The…

This paper is based on a 1988-89 international cooperative study funded by the Harold Macmillan Trust. Teachers and officials in several African, Asian and Arabic-speaking countries worked with the authors in describing and evaluating how computers arrived in their schools and what the machines are used for. Considerable data on national policy…

Equitable distribution of computer resources is an important concern for school administrators. Computer equity consists of three dimensions: access, participation, and benefits. Access is the number of microcomputers available for student use, or the ratio of students to computers; equity issues arise when access to computers is restricted to…

Addresses from two perspectives the problem of providing opportunities for all students to gain knowledge and skills required to use microcomputers: appropriate microcomputer use in the classroom and curriculum, and its role as an indicator of the nature of public education, a catalyst for educational reform, and an equalizer. (MBR)

This hearing on the Computer Education Act of 1987, which is intended to encourage schools to develop and strengthen programs for using computers and to assist less well-off schools and students, includes prepared statements by: (1) Katherine Borsecnik, Software Publishers Association; (2) Jay N. Goldberg, ADAPSO, the Computer Software and…

Computer equity is the equal opportunity for each individual to use a computer and learn the same subjects at the same level. Every community has some aspect of computer inequity, be it based on gender, income level, race, age, academic achievement, geography, or subject matter. The community activist who wants to promote equal access to computers…

Discusses wealth, community size, region of the country, gender, and race as factors in access to microcomputer training in secondary schools in the United States, and presents statistics from various state and national surveys which indicate these variables do play a determining role in computer literacy. (MBR)

The quality of education received by children in the southern states will be greatly impacted by technological change, which will present educators with both unprecedented opportunities and substantial risks. As the four model programs described in this paper illustrate, advances in telecommunications and computer hardware and software can be used…

Describes a study that investigated the use of microcomputers in elementary and secondary schools in one southern state. The availability of hardware, software, and personnel resources is discussed; student access in relation to ability level and socioeconomic status is examined; and recommendations to alleviate inequities in computer access are…

As schools acquire and use computers for educational purposes, two major questions arise: (1) whether students from different strata of society will obtain equal access to computers, and (2) whether students from different strata of society will be taught similar or different uses of the computer. To explore the relationship between the…

This paper discusses the philosophy followed in Palm Beach County to adapt computer literacy curriculum, hardware, and software to meet the needs of all children. The Department of Exceptional Student Education and the Department of Instructional Computing Services cooperated in planning strategies and coordinating efforts to implement equal…