Page 174 - Composition in Convergence The Impact of the New Media on Writing Assessment

ACCESS BEFORE ASSESSMENT 141

that families whose incomes are above $40,000 per year, regardless
of race, have computers or Internet capability in the home, whereas
those families who are under the $40,000 mark rarely have in-home
computers (NTIA, 2000). Although anecdotal evidence suggests that
more students have computer access in the home, it is unclear as to
whether more families under $40,000 do have computers and cable
or dial-up access in the home than in the past (Alter, 1999).
According to the studies taken, this "digital divide" is evidenced
most clearly in minority households, but Caucasians in the lower
income groups are also becoming part of the growing "information
have-nots" (NTIA, 2000). Consequently, these students' informa-
tion and technological literacy levels, just like their traditional liter-
acy levels on national and statewide assessment tests, appear to
have their roots in the family's socioeconomic conditions. Clearly,
computer access — like fair access to writing assessment — is a class
issue just as much as it is a racial issue. Computers, reading materi-
als, pens, pencils, books, magazines, newspapers, and paper cost
money that some families do not have. And it is not a question of
whether students can use the local library for some of these items.
In many communities throughout the United States, libraries are
regionally located, and poor or working-class families outside of
America's urban centers may not have the transportation or the
time to get children to libraries on a regular basis. With the cut-
backs in local governments, items like bookmobiles that could
travel to the children are drastically reduced, if not eliminated, in
some parts of the country. Those who can take their children to li-
braries have to face the reality that many public libraries are elimi-
nating hours, staff, and equipment to meet budgetary shortfalls.
These issues make public library usage difficult for a significant
segment of America's youngsters. Without some type of public
support for technology and information literacy, it is highly plau-
sible that there will be a growing gap in many students' skills, at
least in the next few decades to come.
Without all students having better access to technology in the
writing curriculum, any sort of ongoing, online writing assessment
is going to be haphazard at best. Certainly, without language arts
and composition teachers being better trained in the use of technol-
ogy, any future writing assessment plans will most likely follow
along the lines of current-traditional forms that focus solely on
grammar, mechanics, and official modes of discourse.