Everyone deserves access to technology, online world

As technology races ahead at an ever-increasing pace, more and more of society's activities are moving into an online digital world that requires unfettered access. Although many of us may feel like we're falling behind technologically, large groups of Californians face barriers that block their access to the online world. People with disabilities, seniors, the poor and those without strong reading skills are facing ever-increasing obstacles to technology use. Since technology is becoming essential to education, business, personal finance, politics, entertainment and shopping, if we don't do something, we may find someone we love, or even ourselves, left behind.

We need to commit ourselves to delivering a base set of technological capabilities to all people, starting with Californians. At an affordable price, everybody should have access to communications technology and content to meet their personal, social, educational and employment needs. We need to raise the technology floor so that all of our citizens have at least the basic tools they need to participate in our modern society.

This isn't about charity any more than putting ramps on buildings for wheelchair access. It's far more just and cost-effective for society to provide equal access so that people can help themselves. As our society ages, and as our society increasingly depends on digital communication and content for fundamental activities, most of California's families will need at least basic access to ensure that people are as independent as possible. This will not only increase the quality of life for many with disabilities, but it will also decrease our dependence on families and public services that can become more costly as we age. To remain globally competitive, we need to ensure that all of our citizens have the tools they need to participate independently in our school and in the workplace.

Raising the technology floor is not pie-in-the-sky thinking. The business and technology communities will be excited to make it happen for most of us. But easy access needs to be practical and real. We must let everybody know about available technology that has value to them in their lives. We also need to systematically reduce or remove barriers to that access. Industry will do much of this for the majority of us anyway through its relentless drive to lower prices and improve performance.

When the natural forces of business and technology do not address the needs of everybody, however, we need to take action as a society to ensure that the disadvantaged segments of our community do not fall further and further behind -- or even off of the technology network. We need to build a technology floor: A common, strong foundation that gives everybody the opportunity to use the power of the emerging information and communication technologies to pursue their aspirations and dreams.

Imagine you're starting to lose your vision. It will happen to many of us as we grow older. Suddenly, that PC or cell phone stops being a useful tool because of your inability to see clearly. Did you know that today, a blind person who buys a $300 personal computer has to then purchase a $1,000 specialized piece of software to make the PC talk for them? Think about it. Blind people need to spend three or four times as much to get a PC that works for them -- and additional money each year for updates to be able to access new applications and Web content. The situation is similar for cell phones.

To raise the technology floor for all Californians, we need to deliver four key pieces of the digital puzzle. Together, they will complete our vision of equal access to opportunity in society.

First, we need cell phones and PCs that are cheap and powerful. We don't have to do anything here -- the industry will simply deliver. If today's cell phones cost $30 to make, it won't be long before they're $20 and then $10. If that generation of phones isn't powerful enough for our needs, just wait another year. The same dynamic is working on PC prices.

About the writer:

• Jim Fruchterman is CEO and founder of Benetech, a Silicon Valley nonprofit technology company. Gregg C. Vanderheiden is a professor of industrial and biomedical engineering, and director of Trace R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.