Participate 3.1.1 Access to the Digital Community Quest

In order to be successful in the online classroom, students must have access to the appropriate digital community. In a perfect world, appropriate online access would be easy to obtain. However, we do not live in a perfect world. Students, parents, and teachers are plagued with low bandwith, disabilities, income disparity, copyright limitations, and political constraints. In the area I live, there are people from all income levels, from the very rich to the very poor. In order to provide all children with the needed materials to be successful in the digital community, everyone, from the government all the way to the child, must work together to achieve success. 

While researching this topic, I came across this website: 
http://wikiwiki.uga.edu/wag/index.php/Resources

This a link to the University of Georgia's Web Accessibility Group who look for new strategies, techniques, and resources to help provide web access to everyone. Under their "Resources" link, there is a list of ways to help everyone gain access to the World Wide Web. One presentation that I thought was particularly useful is entitled "How to Make Presentations Accessible to All." This presentation provides tips on how to deliver your presentation to those with low bandwith, disabilities, and other accessibility issues. 

In addition to the UGA Web Accessibility Group, I really like this website that also provides instructors with ways to collaborate and communicate with those who have low bandwith. 
http://www.kstoolkit.org/Low+Bandwidth+Tools

According to the National Broadband Map, most of Georgia does have access to the Internet. However, there are certain regions, such as those near the Okefenokee Swamp in south Georgia, that may have less accessibility. These websites will be very useful when teaching students in these regions.