RURAL AREAS MAY LAG BEHIND - The Senate commerce, science, and transportation subcommittee met recently to discuss bringing broadband Internet access to rural areas enabling all U.S. consumers to participate in the Internet revolution. Providers routinely offer access to urban areas where demand is high enough to realize profits. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced legislation at the hearing, that would give a tax break to firms that invest in broadband networks in areas more than 10 miles from the closest town with 250,000 people or more. According to Rockefeller, rural areas are at a significant disadvantage technologically. (Financial Times, 29 Mar 00)

DORGAN FEARS DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR AMERICA'S RURAL AREAS - Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), the chairman of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, is concerned with the level of concentration in the telecommunications industry, noting the AOL-Time Warner merger as one symptom. In fact, Dorgan says, there is concentration in more than one industry, and this merger is in response to others that came before. A strong antitrust force in the Justice Department will help dampen the merger fervor, he says. Dorgan expects broadband services will grow quickly, especially in population centers, but he also wants the buildup to be universal. Something must be done outside the market system to spread broadband to less-populated areas, he says, suggesting a broadband Rural Electrification Administration program. Dorgan intends to introduce a bill creating such a program, administered by the Public Utilities Service and offering low-interest loans. (Roll Call, 20 Mar 00 Ð Edupage 22 Mar 00)

TEACHERS-ONLINE, BUT DISCONNECTED - Simply putting computers in a classroom will not ensure that the equipment will be used to integrate technology appropriately into the curriculum. Teachers often spend many hours at home each night, trying to create computerized lessons. Many, however, avoid the the challenge altogether, lacking the knowledge or patience to successfully carry out the projects. While formal training is offered in some schools, along with access to technology specialists, the training is often not extensive enough. In addition, the specialists are often shared between numerous schools. Several groups are recommending ways for school districts to improve this situation: 1) placing a full-time specialist in every school, 2) building more planning time into teachers' schedules, 3) offering more comprehensive training classes and 4) enacting more stringent standards for technology competency. (Washington Post, 18 Mar 00)