Numerous other studies show that children in technology-rich learning environments showed more enthusiasm, had higher attendance rates, developed better writing skills and displayed a greater capacity to communicate effectively about complex problems. That's why the President and I have worked so hard to enable all of our schools and libraries to have affordable access to telecommunications and information technology. The E-Rate program, for instance, gives crucial discounts to schools and libraries, with the steepest discounts going to the neediest communities. Without such help, technology is yet one more hurdle for poor and rural communities struggling to keep up with richer ones. Already, America is sharply divided between those with access to computers and the Internet and those without it.
Some critics view the new technology as a frivolous tool of education.
But more and more, computers are at the very heart of how schools teach and children learn. Other critics are worried about the changes they imagine the new technology may bring. Over the course of history, progress often spurs anxiety. Still other critics say we are diverting needed resources away from other, more pressing educational priorities. But we need not limit ourselves to investing in one or the other.