The DCA research project was carried out within the National Research Project (MIUR DM n. 582/2006 of March 24, 2006) “Internet and Schools: Problems of Accessibility, Equality Policies, and Information Management”, objectives of which can be summarized as following:

• identifying socio-cultural factors that influence the access to technologies by the youth and teachers, and developing a theoretical model for the concept of digital competence;

• reviewing national and international literature concerning problems in accessing ICTs from a social, cultural, cognitive and educational point of view, and on the emerging concept of digital competence;

• producing and testing digital competence assessment tools and experimental instruments to evaluate attitudes of students and teachers towards technologies;

• designing and implementing educational kits oriented towards education in digital competence for middle school students (upper grade and high schools).