Effects of socio-economic status on interface metaphor use and computer performance

Considering the rapid movement of the United States and other countries towards an information society, it is of great importance to provide the masses with access to computer technology and its ever-growing benefits. In many cases, "access" means having the actual technology (computer hardware); other times "access" involves the designing of the computer interface so that the user can effectively learn to use it, This research addresses a problem that centers on the fact that apparent disparities persist in computer use/access among racial minorities, persons of lower economic status and lower education here in the United States. As our nation becomes progressively more information driven, the people (all people) need to have access to tools that will help them to exploit the use of the information provided. Individuals who lack access will be at a great social and economic disadvantage.