Not There Yet! Access, Skill, and Expectation Digital Divides in American Public Housing Communities

• In Event: Digital Divides

Abstract

This study examines multidimensional and multilayered digital divides in extremely low-income American public housing communities. It drew on a census survey of this hard-to-access public housing population to examine how digital divides, including access, skill, and expectation divides, vary by markers of sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors, and how these three layers of digital divides are sequentially related. This study focuses on a nuanced view of access divide and identifies a new layer of digital divides—expectation divide—regarding how people anticipate positive changes that digital inclusion efforts would bring. The results show that even within this already disadvantaged population, some are more disadvantaged than others in terms of access, skills and expectations. The access divide remains the most important concern in disadvantaged communities as it contributes to the skill divide. The skill divide further contributes to the expectation divide.

Authors

• Wenhong Chen, U of Texas - Austin

• Xiaoqian Li, U of Texas - Austin

• Joseph D. Straubhaar, University of Texas