For both African American and Caucasian students, an overwhelming majority reported using the Internet to send or receive email (59 percent versus 67 percent respectively).

When we asked students the primary reasons they were using the Internet, multiple answers were accepted. In addition to using the Internet to send or receive email, 54 percent of African American students and 49 percent of white students are using it for research or homework. The notable difference is that 18 percent of African Americans said they used the Internet to search for college or career information compared to 8 percent of Caucasian students. On the other hand, a slightly higher proportion of white students indicated they used the Internet for on-line discussions or chat groups.