DEHub/Research Themes/Access, equity, social inclusion and ethics project 1



 Access, equity, social inclusion and ethics

Summary of narrative syntheses, meta-analyses, meta-evaluations, and best evidence syntheses that currently exist.
The existence of a “digital divide” in Australian society has been the subject of intensive debate since the 1990s. Landmark studies include Hellwig & Lloyd (2000), Lloyd, Jock & Hellwig (2000), Curtin (2001), McLaren & Zappalà (2002), Gibson (2003), Holloway (2005), Samaras (2005), Willis & Tranter (2006), Atkinson, Black & Cutis (2008) and Notley & Foth (2008). Significant Australian studies on ICT-mediated distance learning and social excluded groups include Barrakett, Payne, Scott & Cameron (2000), Barrakett & Scott (2001) and Meyers (2006). Other studies of interest include Sherwood (2006) and Wilding (2009).

The best available syntheses of the field in the Australian context are ANTA (2002), Barrakett (2004), Kilpatrick & Bound (2003), AISR (2006) and ACSA (2008).

Recommended keywords for searches
access, Australia, digital divide, digital exclusion, distance learning, education, e-learning, employment, ethics, ICT, inequality, m-learning, mobile devices, mobile learning, online learning, rural and remote young people, social deprivation, social exclusion, social inclusion, digital literacy, computer literacy, higher education

Recommended search databases
A+ Education, Australian Public Affairs – Full Text, Emerald, ERIC, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, Wiley InterScience

Additional references and links
The DE Hub Access, equity, social inclusion and ethics research theme page provides additional links to relevant material.