Ninety-year-old Ruth Heyne got her first computer last fall.
Her son, Tom Strong of Spotsylvania County, hooked her up with a Pentium 3. He taught her how to use it and showed her how to log onto the Internet.
At her age, she really hasn't needed to learn much about technology. Her son's prodding helped her link to today's Web-based world.
Age is one of the reasons many Americans are still technologically challenged. While the majority of Americans have access to computers and the Internet, factors--such as age, education, income level, race and geographical location--are keeping about one third of the nation offline, said Andy Carvin, director of the Digital Divide Network.
The Massachusetts-based agency is an online community of activists dedicated to helping people bridge the digital divide--the gap between people who have access to modern technology and those who don't.
Heyne had never needed such technology to succeed. Most people didn't. She was in her 50s when the first personal computer came out. And the Internet became widespread only in the 1990s, according to the World Wide Web Consortium.
Those who don't have exposure to computer technology and the Internet have difficulty seeing the benefits of it, Carvin said.
Now that Heyne has a computer and knows how to use it, the Florida resident reads online news and uses e-mail and messaging devices to communicate with her family all over the United States.
"She's turned into a geek," Strong said. "Every time she does something online, she gets into something else."
He recently bought her a Web camera. He said she is fascinated that she can talk to him online and see him at the same time.
"More and more [seniors] are buying computers, or their sons and daughters are buying them for them," said Judy Gilliam, training coordinator for Rappahannock Electric Cooperative. She teaches computer training courses to small businesses and the public.
Some of her classes are designed specifically for seniors. Those classes teach the basics of the Web and office programs. Many seniors want to know enough so that they can e-mail their grandchildren, book travel plans and play games, she said.
But victims of the digital divide don't fall into just one category, Carvin said.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the gap is narrowing. But the 2000 study showed that minorities, senior citizens, rural residents, those with limited education and those who earn lower incomes were less likely to have Internet and computer access.
Here are some of the differences revealed in the 2000 study:
Thirty-nine percent of rural households had the Internet, compared to 42 percent in urban areas.
Eighty-six percent of households with a computer had an income of $75,000 or more, compare to 19 percent of households with an income of $15,000 or less.
Thirty percent of people with a high school education had access to the Internet, while 70 percent of those in the highest education bracket did.
People with a disability were half as likely to have Internet access as someone who didn't.
Individuals age 50 and older were the least likely to be Internet users.
Those who entered the work force several years ago without computer skills are now at a disadvantage if they still don't have the training. More of the younger generations are getting basic computer training in school, Carvin said.
Gilliam said she has some middle-aged students who never had to use the technology before, but are now being required to by an employer.
Also, more organizations, corporations, nonprofits and government entities, are moving valuable services and information online.
Carvin said people without Internet access, for example, couldn't access much of the information about hurricane survival in Florida last fall, because the vast majority of information was put online.
"The problem is that we haven't found a language yet to explain to the general public and the policymakers the connection between Internet access and Internet skills and their importance in the lives of the community and community development and educational prosperity," Carvin said.
Digital divide experts also say there are many things companies can do to make Web and computer navigation easier for those who are learning to use the technology for the first time.
Mark Carpenter, general manager of Web strategy and operations for AARP, said they can focus on making products easier to use, rather than adding extra features. Using bigger, bolder type on Web sites, for example, makes it easier for older and disabled people to use. Even the most experienced Web user can benefit from a site that is easy to read, he said.
"The Internet is improving because of this," Carpenter said.
Other local agencies and organizations have worked to provide resources for those who want to learn.
Bragg Hill Family Life Center, which helps at-risk children and families, is preparing to launch its Technology Education And Career Help program to address the needs of the community it serves. Fredericksburg United Methodist Church donated 20 new computers to help with the program.
Beth DiSalvo, career technology coordinator for the center, expects TEACH to be operating by the end of February. It will offer open computer labs and basic introduction courses for those who don't have access in their homes.
The Central Rappahannock Regional Library also offers occasional computer courses on many different skill levels. The classes are free. But there is a limit on class size, and they fill up quickly.
To reach MEGHANN COTTER: 540/374-5434 mcotter@freelancestar.com