Technology and social inclusion : rethinking the digital divide / Mark Warschauer.

Economy, society, and technology : analyzing the shifting terrains -- Models of access : devices, conduits, and literacy -- Physical resources : computers and connectivity -- Digital resources : content and language -- Human resources : literacy and education -- Social resources : communities and institutions -- Conclusion : the social embeddedness of technology.

Drawing on theory from political science, economics, sociology, psychology, communications, education, and linguistics, this book examines the ways in which differing access to technology contributes to social and economic stratification or inclusion. The author takes a global perspective, presenting case studies from developed and developing countries, including Brazil, China, Egypt, India, and the United States. A central premise is that, in today's society, the ability to access, adapt, and create knowledge using information and communication technologies is critical to social inclusion. This focus on social inclusion shifts the discussion of the "digital divide" from gaps to be overcome by providingequipment to social development challenges to be addressed through the effective integration of technology into communities, institutions, and societies. What is most important is not so much the physical availability of computers and the Internet but rather people's ability to make use of those technologies t