Consider student needs in making software decisions.

In setting instructional goals and making purchasing decisions, the technology planning committee should consider the needs, interests, and resources of all the diverse student populations within your school or district--for example, gifted and other special needs students, language minority students, and students from low income families. Don't merely target a narrow spectrum of students; everyone can benefit from technology skills and technology-based instruction.

Make training available to everyone.

Likewise, don't target a narrow group of teachers for technology training and use. Do everything possible to encourage all of your teachers to incorporate technology into their daily instruction. Adapt training activities to teachers' various skill levels; help them to get comfortable with technology by encouraging their personal use of computers and networking services.

Consider alternatives to setting up a computer lab.

Computer labs have some distinct advantages. It's easier to cope with wiring and environmental and security measures for a single classroom. If you have more classrooms than computers, a lab offers one strategy for assuring at least some access to all teachers and students. But a lab also isolates computer use, making it an occasional, extraordinary activity rather than an integral part of the instructional routine. In an ideal world, there would be a computer for every student in every classroom. Of course, none of us live in an ideal world, but there are alternatives to labs that may work more effectively for your teachers. For example, encourage sharing by groups of teachers, either grade level groups or project groups, so they can make optimum use of a limited number of machines. Or, attach the computers to carts that can be moved from one location to another so they can be gathered in one location when they are needed. If a computer lab is the only available option, try to provide flexible hours so students and teachers have some access to the equipment beyond their scheduled classroom periods.

Make sure technology is available to teachers who will actually use it.

Though you'll want to encourage all teachers to use technology, not everyone will respond with equal enthusiasm, particularly in the first years. The adventurous teachers who will want to try the new equipment can provide experience and models for their more cautious colleagues. You may want to consider offering technology access on an incentive basis, rather than distributing equipment to every classroom or signing every teacher up for the computer lab. One district's strategy is an application process in which teachers must explain how they will use the technology before it is placed in his/her classroom.

Attend to accessibility issues for students with disabilities.

Technology offers a great variety of tools to assist students with disabilities, such as voice-activated computers, image-enhancing software, and hands-free accessing systems (for an array of such resources, see Adaptive Computer Technology Inc.'s web site at http://www.compuaccess.com/ (Site no longer available 08-08-2002).

Be careful to consider the needs of all your students and to acquire any adaptive devices necessary to offer everyone full access to technology's benefits. Also consider issues of physical access--wheelchairs and cables, for example, are not a good mix.

The Computer Accessibility Technology Packet was developed by the U.S. Department of Education and sent to all state and local education agencies to inform schools about the technology needs of disabled students.

Offer after-school access.

Consider making computers and other technology available after regular school hours, to your instructional staff, to students, and perhaps even to parents. Many families will have a computer at home, but others will not. Offering access to parents is a great way to develop their support for technology-based instruction, and to strengthen the links between home and school.

Work with business and community to promote technology access.

There are a number of ways you can encourage technology access throughout your local community. Making school facilities available after hours and during the summer is one alternative. Or, as suggested earlier, work with your local bank to encourage low-interest computer loans for students and educators. Or encourage community groups to offer technology scholarships. One creative school district worked with the local telephone company to arrange for the district's telephone lines to be diverted to the community library's computers after 4 p.m. each day, greatly increasing the library's Internet service capabilities.

Cummins, J. & Sayers, D. (1995). Brave new schools... Challenging cultural illiteracy through global learning networks. New York: St. Martins Press.

Sanders, J. (1993). Lifting the barriers... 600 strategies that really work to increase girl's participation in science, mathematics, and computers. Port Washington, NY: Jo Sanders Publications.