- President Clinton is demonstrating efforts to close the digital divide by bringing computers and the Internet to low-income areas. Part of this effort was a tour of the Navajo Nation in NM where only 22.5 percent of homes have phones. In addition, FCC Chairman William Kennard has unveiled plans to help bring the Internet to 300,000 low-income Native American households and Gateway has announced plans to fund computer training for 75,000 U.S. teachers. (USA Today, 17 Apr 00)

- Vice President Al Gore recently called for government action to help bridge the digital divide in computer use between white and minority Americans, urging that every student be computer literate by the eighth grade. Several recent studies indicate that the digital divide threatens to widen racial gulfs in the areas of education, employment and income. (New York Times, 4 Apr 00)

- U.S. companies will be unable to fill more than 840,000 IT jobs this year, according to an Information Technology Association of America study. The offering of high-tech employee, student training and scholarships by many companies does not appear to be meeting the needed goals. To better meet these needs, Rep. Lamar Smith (TX) has proposed suspending the cap on visas for foreign high-tech workers for the next three years. (Investor's Business Daily, 13 Apr 00)

- The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has released a study urging changes in high-tech culture to make the field more appealing to girls and women. At present women account for only 28 percent of the bachelor's degrees in computer science, and just 20 percent of IT workers. Increasing female interest in technology could help ease the shortage of high-tech workers and close the wage gap between men and women, the study says. (Knight Ridder, 10 Apr 00)

- Despite the recent concern over a shakeout among online companies, MBA students are still frantically working to launch dotcoms Unfazed by the troubles of dotcoms, students say the Internet has become an indispensable part of business that offers boundless opportunities. Recent skepticism about dotcoms simply means startups need to work faster and smarter. (Wall Street Journal, 10 Apr 00)

- The Daniel Jenkins Academy in Polk County, Fla., will become the nation's first school to offer students a completely online curriculum in a classroom. Florida High School, which previously only served individual students, will be the subcontractor for Jenkins' online system. The promise of small classes and individualized, self-paced education has swayed many parents. Students will still share lunch and hallway interactions and will also have the opportunity to do away- from-school projects, take field trips and participate in extracurricular activities at a nearby high school. (USA Today, 6 Apr 00)