Based on the article, “Low-Income Urban High

School Students’ Use of the Internet to Access

Financial Aid” by Kristan M. Venegas

Class Barriers: A Look at The Digital Divide

From The Perspective of Race and Social

Class

Introduction The internet is being used as part of the financial aid

and college application process at an ever increasing

rate.

The purpose of this slide show is to look at the Digital

Divide from the perspective of race and class

(income).

The following slides are a look at a few of the many

barriers faced by low-income students and/or

students of color when trying to use the computer for

financial aid and/or college applications.

Obstacle 1: Access Research has shown

that there is a real

difference in access to

computers and the

Internet based upon

socioeconomic status.

Low-income students

have been shown to

rely more heavily on the

availability of computers

and Internet access at

school than students

from higher income

families.

Obstacle 2: Connectivity Students that do have

access to computers,

often time, experience

problems with

connectivity and the

ability to interface with

certain features of

websites.

Obstacle 3: Convolutedness Students are often told

to fill out the paper

version of the FAFSA in

order to be better

prepared to complete

the online version.

The many steps of the

online financial aid

process are confusing

and do not always

correspond with the

written (paper) version.

Obstacle 4: Time Completing the FAFSA

is a multistep process

that can spread over a

period of several

months.

Students who have to

access computers in

places other than the

home have to deal with

business hours and

other time limitations.

1. Kristan M. Venegas’ article, Low-Income

Urban High School Students’ Use of the

Internet to Access Financial Aid

2. Image used for Obstacle 1

3. Image used for Obstacle 2

4. Image used for Obstacle 3

5. Image used for Obstacle 4

Sources