Computer Equity for Young Women in Rural Schools

The authors define computer equity as equal access to computer literacy for each person. It involves both awareness and ac-tion; it implies differing approaches to meet differing needs. Their concern is for the unmet needs of young women- especially those in rural schools. many of whom continue to follow stereotyped role patterns that limit the definition of what a woman can become. While computer literacy is fast becoming a survival skill for a rapidly approaching future. many rural females remain basically unaware of the computer's impact on society and of its impact- both present and potential- on their lives. This article describes persistent external and internal barriers regarding computer literacy that are limiting rural women. It outlines action that rural schools can take to eliminate these factors, thus providing more freedom for rural women to pursue the multiple life options that are beginning to open for their urban counterparts. While young women in rural areas have always had sur-vival skills for the world in which they live, they also have traditionally missed some opportunities that have been more readily available to their urban sisters. And in to-day's rapidly changing society, this rural-urban gap is widening. Differences become apparent when comparing rural schools to their urban-suburban counterparts. Rura