Digital Divide and Access Grid Technology

Abstract

In April, 2005, the University of Louisiana at Monroe hosted a national conference for Children and Rural Education (CARE). The mission was to establish a research agenda for dealing with the problems which rural educators face. An exciting aspect of the conference was that Access Grid Node (AGN) technology would be utilized as a means of connecting with five other remote sites allowing full participation from a truly national audience. This paper examines the use of access grid technology as a means of bridging the gap between rural and urban/suburban educations and the effect of the Digital Divide on the use of AGN technology. During each step of implementation, the following areas are identified: problems encountered, lessons learned, and implications for the future.