Across America, people told us that the Internet offers one of the most promising opportunities in education ever. And yet they were troubled by their inability to
harness its potential advantages.

The Web-based Education Commission heard from hundreds of trailblazing heroes around the nation-teachers, principals, and superintendents; local and appointed officials at all levels of government; higher education faculty and administrators; content developers and telecommunications providers; researchers, parents, and students. They testified at live hearings, submitted hundreds of "e-testimonies" on our Web site, and hosted Commissioners at school and university visits, conferences and meetings, live and online.

They shared powerful visions. Their online participation itself was an eloquent demonstration of the power of the Internet.

They urged us to seize the opportunity.

They also showed us a need for changes in policies and priorities that can only become more acute as this technology matures. From their testimony, we have heard a need for:

Powerful new Internet resources, especially broadband access, that is widely and equitably available and affordable for all learners

Continuous, relevant training and support for educators and administrators at all levels

New research on how people learn in the Internet age

High quality online educational content that is widely available and meets the highest standards of educational excellence

Relief from outdated regulations that impede instructional innovation in favor of approaches that embrace anytime, anywhere, any pace learning

Safeguards to protect online learners and ensure their privacy, especially that of young children

Sustained funding-via traditional and new sources-
that is adequate to the challenges at hand

Perhaps the clearest message of all was that these concerns are interrelated. Like a cabin built log by log, each notched piece sustains all the others.

The Commission's recommendations rest on the conviction that solutions come not from the top down, but from all levels of stakeholders in America's educational and economic future.

As such, we are issuing a call to action that is addressed to policymakers and politicians, college presidents and parents, teachers and teacher educators, and students and business leaders. To maximize the power of the Internet for learning we must tackle head on the barriers that are limiting its effectiveness. We must seize the opportunity.

The first barrier is access to technology.

Note to Readers:
A significant number of references are made throughout this report to individual projects and programs, public and private alike. These references should not be regarded as either Commission endorsements or a complete listing of such projects and programs. They are cited for illustrative purposes only.