Internet access is critical in today's society. We have the issues of whether or not someone has Internet Access and is the access adequate for their needs? Why don't some have Internet Access at all or perhaps they have poor access? In the organizations where I have taught and worked we often lacked hardware, software and/or training to properly utilize Internet Resources.

While adequate Internet Access has become available in more areas and at lower costs there are still many who cannot afford the hardware needed and also are not close enough to public access locations like libraries.

Internet access has expanded rapidly and is continuing to do so. It has become apparent that the traditional binary view of Internet Access, yes someone has access or no they do not, is not adequate in determining an individual's access to necessary resources. The type of access and ability to utilize related resources is also very important. This might include hardware devices like printers or restricted online resources like electronic libraries or databases.


Measuring the Information Society 2014

http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/publications/mis2014/MIS20...

What types of access are available in densely populated areas versus rural areas? Developed countries versus developing countries? How can the lack of access or inadequate access be improved?

https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/facts/ICTFactsFigures2014...

How does economic status impact Internet Access? Does the lower class have reasonable quality internet access? What can we do to improve access?

In my classroom I also have had the additional issue of students who do not have the hardware needed for adequate access.

http://projects.ischool.washington.edu/karineb/html/pub/DDI.pdf

There are several solutions that are being implemented and others that could be put in place in the future. In my local area Comcast has had an Internet Essentials program for several years targeting lower income residents. For those who qualify they can obtain reasonable broadband access for $10 per month including the needed equipment. In the future we need to have industry and government programs and incentives to encourage infrastructure expansion with up to date technologies. This would include a focus on materials like fiber that allow for high quality broadband Internet Access.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Web_2.0_and_Emerging_Learning_Technologies/Dig...

https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/facts/ICTFactsFigures2014...

What types of infrastructure are in place and available in the various types of landscapes? Are things like fiber even available? The school where I taught and my wife teaches does not currently have cable or fiber available despite being in a fairly strong growing developed community. Some of our students do not have Internet Access at home and live too far away from public Internet resources.

Solutions would need to include industry and government initiatives and incentives to build infrastructure to include expanded cable and fiber networks. There would also be a need to make the needed hardware devices available.

It is critical that we continue to improve access to decrease the societal divide. The AECT code in Section 2 discusses many aspects of "Commitment to Society" and this expansion would address this commitment.

http://www.consumerfed.org/pdfs/digitaldivide.pdf