This document discusses equity issues related to technology use. It notes that while technology access has increased, disparities still exist for some groups. Specifically, it outlines concerns around unequal access, a persisting gender gap, age disparities, and a lack of accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Addressing these inequities fully is important to provide equal educational opportunities for all.

1. Equity
with Technology
Karen Blevins, Lisa McCoy, Tammy Ramos, Nicola Ritter
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if
you use the entire handout and attribute to the authors.

2. Navigation
Equity Issue
Equity Laws
Click on any of the tabs to the left
Present to go directly to that topic.
Concerns
Scenario
References

3. Equity Factor in Technology
Equity Issue
Equity Laws ―Failure to provide adequate technological resources
for all translates into failure to provide quality
Present education, creating an ever greater divide between
Concerns affluent and poor school districts‖ (Mason and
Dodds, 2005).
Scenario
References

4. Equity Factor in Technology
Equity Issue The Facts
Equity Laws The issue of equity, which focuses on the
disparities among, ―age, gender, ethnicity, race, and
Present geographic location…‖ (Gorski, 2001) is a vital
Concerns aspect of technology that needs to be addressed as its
use expands.
Scenario
Trends show that while access to technology has
References increased over the years, the amazing advantage it
has created for some users has been offset by the
availability, usability, and bias issues it has created
for others.

5. Equity Factor in Technology
Equity Issue The Main Concerns
Equity Laws
• Access
• Gender gap
Present • Age Disparities
Concerns
Scenario
References

6. Facing the Facts…
Larry Irving, a former U.S. assistant secretary of
commerce reminds individuals,
―Think how powerful the Internet is. Then remind
yourself that fewer than 2% of people are actually
connected. The power of the Web increases
exponentially with every person who goes online.
Imagine what we’re missing.‖
(Yoder, 2001)

7. Equity| Relevant Laws
Equity Issue •Federal legislation addresses digital equity
through a variety of funded programs.
Equity Laws
Section 2
•State and local entities have the opportunity
Present
Concerns
to apply for grants under federal legislation.
Scenario •These entities use the funding to create
programs that address digital equity issues
References specific to their communities.

8. Relevant Laws
Telecommunications Act of 1996
Section 524 offers qualifying schools, school districts, and libraries with low
SES and urban or rural status discounted telecommunication services.
The E-Rate program is funded by a Universal Service fee charged to
telecommunication companies. This fee supplements the discounted rates of
telecommunication services offered to those that qualify.
As of March 16, 2010, the FCC plans to remove the cap of $2.25 billion
annually.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

9. Relevant Laws
Telecommunications Act
Section 706 requires the
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) to
conduct regular inquiries
to see that advanced
telecommunications are
becoming accessible.

10. Relevant Laws
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
Title II, Part D, Section 2401 establishes the Enhancing Education Through
Technology program.
The Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program provides
funding to state education agencies for the implementation and retention of
effective technologies to improve student achievement.
One of three goals of the EET program address closing the digital divide.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

11. Relevant Laws
EETT Program Goal
2(A) To assist every
student in crossing the
digital divide by ensuring
that every student is
technologically literate by
the time the student
finishes the eighth grade,
regardless of the student's
race, ethnicity, gender,
family income, geographic
location, or disability.

12. Relevant Laws
Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008
Provides new federal grants to address the digital divide at
minority-serving colleges and universities institutions.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

13. Relevant Laws
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009
Provides $650 million in additional funding to the Enhancing
Education through Technology (Ed Tech) Program
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

14. Equity| Present Concerns
Paul C. Gorski, in his 2009 Urban Education article,
Equity Issue
Insisting on Digital Equity, poses these questions as
addressing a realistic look at current digital equity:
Equity Laws
1. Who has the easiest, most consistent access to these
resources?
Present
Present
Concerns
Concerns 2. How are educators using technology differently with
different populations of students?
Scenario
3. Who stand to gain the most – economically, politically,
and so on – from the growing urgency to technologies
References schools and classrooms?
4. What are the equity and social justice implications of this
educational technology craze/

15. Access
Traditionally defined as proximity to technology,
reports of a population’s ―access‖ to technology
has not considered the way the technology is used,
capabilities of the system, obsolescence of
hardware, ability to purchase software, or other
relevant issues for effective comparison.

16. Access
Minorities, people earning
low incomes, individuals
with minimal education, and
children of single-parent
households –particularly
those who live in rural areas
or inner cities –are among
those with the most limited
access to information
resources (Gorski, 2001).

17. Equity| Present Concerns
Equity Issue Gender Gap
Equity Laws
A main concern in
Present
schools is the gender
Concerns gap that exists in the
use of computer
Scenario technology.
References

18. The Gender Gap
Research shows that populations viewed
boys as being more apt to working with
computers and technology as compared to
girls, resulting in altered views towards
computers and technology in general.
Therefore attitudes towards technology
are affected due to differences in
exposure.

19. Studies have shown that as of
Gender 2000, females compromise the
Bias majority of the online
population, however this is
misleading in reference to a
perceived equity in technology
as it is not supported by the
number of women pursuing and
finding success in computer2009)
(Gorski,
related fields.

20. School Inequities
Traditionally recognized school inequities affect the
area of technology as well as other areas:
1. Obsolete or irrelevant technology
2. Limited access to use of technology by both teachers
and students
3. Teachers who are not trained effectively or consistently
in the appropriate use of technology to meeting
instructional goals
4. Use of computers for entertainment or rote practice
rather than a tool for growth and advancement.

21. School Inequities
(Uzunboylu and Tuncay, 2010)

22. Age accounts for the
highest gap in access
Age and productive use of
the internet. The
Disparities need to address this
issue is likely to
continue as
advancements in
technology are
increasing
exponentially,
meaning that even
today’s technology
may be obsolete (Uzunboylu and Tuncay, 2008)
tomorrow.

23. Age Disparities
(www.geekandpoke.typepad.com)

24. Individuals with Disabilities
Another area of present concern centers around the availability
and training of technology applications for individuals with
disabilities. Lack of accommodations and accessibility for
disabled individuals and the general conception that technology is
not essential for this population group.
―…a study by the International Center for
Disability Resources on the Internet shows that
a majority of people living without disabilities
assume that people with disabilities have no
reason to access the Internet.‖ (Kearns, 2001)

25. Stereotypical Representations
For both culturally diverse groups and women, the
representations of their respective groups on the
internet continues to be stereotypical or non-existent.
Women Culturally Diverse
Video games produce images of Often minorities are not
women that are highly sexualized. represented
Educational software favors a Minorities find no connection to
traditional view of girls and tends the applications on the internet
to feature more male figures.
Pornography is rampant on the Lack of multi-lingual
internet representation does not
encourage minority use

26. Global Implications
Consider the world and the future.
The (click below)
Implications
Of
Inequity
Are
Global

27. Bridging the Gap
According to the Mason and Dodds (2005), ― As
technologies continue to advance and provide
enhanced resources for learning and research, critical
questions arise:
•Will these technologies be available to all schools?
•Will they enable schools to close or at least narrow
the digital divide?

28. What needs to be done?
―Computer technology is the cutting-edge—and seductive –
instructional resource for 21st century education, yet its optimal
applications for instructional education have yet to be
determined.‖ (American Association of University Women,
1999)
Numerous equity factors, including gender bias, accessibility, and
gender gaps, need to be addressed in order for technology to be
viewed by younger generations as a wave of the future and a
wonderful resource for education and instruction, among other
areas.

29. Equity |Scenario
Wayside Intermediate School, a school whose culturally diverse
population includes 25% free and reduced lunch, has increased their
Equity Issue focus and funding for technology as part of a district initiative. Teachers
are receiving additional training in the use of technology for
enhancement of instruction and every student is now required to
Equity Laws participate in a technology class as one of their ―specials‖ classes.
Administrators are also encouraging teachers to increase the use of
technology in their instructional practices.
Present In creating his lessons, 5th grade teacher Justin Thyme has developed a
Concerns research project for his students that includes finding internet sources,
using a citing service (NoodleTools), and developing a PowerPoint. His
Scenario
Scenario class includes a range of abilities including a group of five students who
receive Special Education services and three students identified as Gifted
and Talented. Students will have access to the computer lab twice a week
and the assignment will require additional outside work as well.
References
What possible issues of equity might Wayside Intermediate School need
to address?

30. Equity |References
Equity Issue
Equity Laws
Present
Concerns
Scenario
References
References

31. Equity |References
Equity Issue Mason, C. and Dodds, R. (2005). Bridge the Digital Divide for
Educational Equity. The Educational Digest, 84, 57-59.
Equity Laws Nordquist, S. (2008, May 30). The digital divide [Video file].
Retrieved from YouTube database.
Present
Concerns Uzunboylu, H., & Tuncay, N. (2010). Divergence of digital
world of teachers. Journal of Educational Technology &
Scenario Society, 13(1), 186-194. Retrieved from Academic Search
Complete database
References
References Yoder, M.B. (2001). The digital divide: The problem and its
implication. Learning and Leading with Technology, 28, 10-13.