The Computer as a Household Appliance In the Subsidized Housing Arena

W03-4:  Across America, the use of the Internet as both a communication medium and a transportation medium is beginning to alter basic perceptions of living. For a select group of individuals—that tend to be well educated, more affluent and technologically savvy—the Internet has provided the choice of un-tethered mobility. For those who have been less socially and economically fortunate, Internet use has had little impact on lifestyle options and opportunities. The Federal Government, in its belief that the emerging digital economy is a driving force for greater prosperity, began reporting yearly on its citizens’ access to technology tools. Their latest 2002 report, A Nation Online: How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet, confirms that the greater the household income and the more highly educated the household members, the higher the incidence of Internet access and use. In recent years, adhoc groups of individuals at all income levels have come together in communities across the country to try to capitalize on the latest technology to better their standard and quality of life. For those in subsidized housing, the challenge has been exceptionally great…