I've just started researching the "Digital Divide" and only 15 minutes in I'm already learning things... My conception of the digital divide was rather simplified I'm afraid. I thought it referred primarily to the disparity in ICT access between socio-economic groups, whereas the document I'm reading at the moment (Blanchard, Metcalfe and Burns)* seems to conceptualise the divide as relating to disenfranchised groups as diverse as homosexual and bisexual youths, Indigenous and youths from ethnic minorities, youths who are carers, youths with disabilities and so on.
Looks like I'll have to broaden my scope on reflecting on this issue - it obviously spans a much greater proportion of the young population than I thought. But I'm concerned that this document, coming from a youth organisation whose aim is reducing youth suicide rates, may be more concerned with using ICT to 'reach out' to depressed young people, than using it in a more education-minded sense, which is what I'm more interested in.
Sources:
* Blanchard, Metcalf and Burns. 2007. Bridging the Digital Divide: Creating opportunities for marginalised young people to get connected. Available at http://www.inspire.org.au/what-we-do-actnow-bridging-the-digital-divide-youth-action-project.html. Accessed 28th February 2010.
