摘要：The global digital divide represents one of the most significant examples of
international inequality. In North America and Western Europe, nearly 70% of
citizens use the Internet on a regular basis, whereas in Africa less than 4% do
so. Such inequality impacts business and trade, online education and libraries,
telemedicine and health resources, and political information and e-government.
In response, a group of educators and community leaders in South Africa and the
United States have used various information technologies to create a "global
classroom" that connects people in the two countries. University students, high
school students, and other citizens communicate via Internet exchanges, video
conferencing, and digital photo essays. The project has produced a number of
tangible benefits and it has developed a model for reducing inequality in global
education, at least for those institutions with the technological resources to
participate. We also present several recommendations for how to expand the
initiative and thereby increase the number of people who can benefit from it.
