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Universal Internet - Theme 2
----------------------------
http://www.iaginteractive.com/emfa/theme2.htm
Check out the extensive web links listed after the questions.
The primary theme for Thursday, May 7 and Friday, May 8, 1998.
The Internet is more than just the web or e-mail. Open Internet
standards allow computers and other devices to communicate across
a global "network of networks." The "Universal Internet" theme
includes both access to the network itself as well as to the
Internet's content and services.
Here are some questions we thought might stir discussion. Please
send your additional questions or comments as described below.
1. Nua estimates that there are 70 million North Americans
online (over 30 percent of the total population) and 115 million
world-wide. What can we learn from examining national or regional
statistics and demographics? Which segments of society are most
rapidly coming online? Who is not online? Why? Why do some people
"drop off" the Internet?
2. The U.S. has extended the Universal Service Fund to promote
advanced telecommunications, including Internet access, in
schools, libraries, and rural health care facilities. What is the
current status of these initiatives? How are they affecting both
institutional Internet access as well as broader community
access? What government/regulatory support is there for
connectivity in other countries?
[With all these questions, an international perspective is
welcome. In your country how are you funding these kinds of
activities? What can the U.S. learn from your experiences?
What do you want to learn from the U.S.?]
3. What aspects of the Internet and advanced telecommunications
might become more universal than others (i.e. low cost local
Internet dial-up, direct high-speed connections to the home,
e-mail versus streamed digital video etc.) What policy issues
will be addressed by the FCC as it relates to Section 706 of the
1996 Telecommunication Act? What is 706 about?
4. Public access to the Internet from libraries and
increasingly diverse community locations represent the first
opportunities for those without the necessary technology to go
online. What are the trends with public access initiatives? What
has been learned? What are some of the better access models for
harder-to-reach populations? What are good examples of
community-oriented technology and information-literacy training
and education programs?
5. An essential aspect of a "Universal Internet" is access to
technology and content regardless of disability. What is being
done to ensure broad access to the Internet's content and
services? What are some recent successes? What challenges remain?
Will designing for accessibilty incorporate access through
non-computers devices?
*
* Response and Comments Instructions
*
* Send your general theme comments or specific question
* responses to: emfa@publicus.net
*
* Use the subject lines: T1 General Comments OR T1Q# Response
* (# = question number)
*
* Responses and comments should be under 500 words, send them
* text-only at under 75 characters per line (65 preferred).
* You are encouraged to promote web addresses as well as
* to offer extended comments to others via e-mail upon their
* request.
*
* We ask that all comments and essays include the following
* information if available:
*
* Name
* Title/Organization
* E-Mail Address
* Web Address
* Location/Country
*
Visit the web page for the active links listed below:
http://www.iaginteractive.com/emfa/theme2.htm
Articles and Reports
--------------------
* The Effectiveness of Educational Technology and the
Conditions Under Which it is Most Effective - From John
Cradler, Educational Support Systems.
* Internet Service Provider's Guide to the Universal Service
$2.25 Billion Fund For Schools and Libraries - By Robert
Cannon, Internet Telecommunications Project.
* Bridging the Digital Divide: The Impact of Race on Computer
Access and Internet Use - From Donna Hoffman and Thomas
Novak, Project 2000.
* Internet Trend Watch for Libraries - Monthly web-based
newsletter.
* Canada's Community Access Project Workbook.
* Digital Tornado: The Internet and Telecommunications Policy
- From the FCC.
* Internet Dropouts: The Invisible Group - An important report
from 1996 by James E. Katz, Bellcore and Philip Aspden,
CRIS.
* Universal Design, Principles, and Guidelines - From Trace
Center.
* Universal Access to the Net: Requirements and Social Impact
- Speech by Jeff Johnson made at CHI 97 Electronic
Publications, March 22-27, 1997.
* The Public Perspective - top of list: Web Users Are Looking
More Like America
News Stories
------------
Links to recent news stories.
* Use the submission form to help us establish more news
links.
* Gore Proposes School Internet Plan - AP from AllPolitics.
* Web demographics changing: Disparities in access along
racial, economic lines remain - MSNBC.
* Senate Panel Is Told Disabled May Fall Behind in
Information Age - New York Times.
* Study Shows Students Use Internet Primarily for Research -
New York Times - Cybertimes.
* Schools and libraries seek $2 billion to connect to the
Internet - Philadelphia Enquirer.
* FCC rethinking Internet subsidy plan: Program to help
schools and libraries get Net connections has drawn
criticism - MSNBC.
* Lawmakers Debate Bandwidth Logjam - CMPNet TechWeb News.
Online Resources
----------------
We won't recreate the wheel. Visit these "best of" sites for
extensive information and background on this theme. See the
Public and Private Roles online resources for similar resources.
* Looking for numbers? Visit Nua Internet Surveys, CyberAltas,
EStats, for statistics from multiple sources.
* Universal Service and Universal Access Virtual Library -
Benton Foundation.
* Internet Telecommunications Project - Home of the
CYBERTELECOM discussion.
* Schools and Libraries Corporation - Administers USF for
schools and libraries.
* U.S. Federal Communications Commission Universal Service
Section.
* Consortium for School Networking.
* Information Society Project Office - Eurpean Commission.
* Community Technology Centers' Network - Network of 250
centers.
* Canada's Community Access Program - An innovative approach.
* Innovative Internet Applications in Libraries.
* U.S. National Telecommunications and Information
Administration.
* Web Accessibility Initiative and the Trace Center - Leading
accessibility resources.
* Association for Computing Machinery Policy '98 conference
- Access related documents and links.
* International Association of Cybercafes.
* Universal Service: An Overview - American Library
Association.
* Multilingual Web at the ACF.
* On-Line Seminar: Universal Service/Network Democracy
-Information Renaisance, August 26 - September 27, 1996.
* IT for All - UK Information Society Initiative.
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