Filed at 4:29 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Computers may now be nearly as common as blackboards and lockers in U.S. schools but they are not meeting the needs of Internet-savvy students, according to a study released Wednesday.

Students hoping to research science projects or term papers online face a ``digital disconnect'' in the classroom as they are often stymied by restrictive access policies and content filters, the report said.

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Many students have a limited ability to explore on their own because they are not taught basic typing and computer skills and homework assignments do not push them to develop their skills, the report said.

While the United States has spent large amounts of money over the past seven years to provide schools with Internet access, ``the message from these kids is that that's just the first part of the story,'' said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which commissioned the report.

``They see it as a tremendous educational tool that's not being used well,'' Rainie said.

The nonprofit project, which examines how Americans use the global computer network, enlisted the American Institutes for Research to ask students in focus groups and online essays to describe how they used the Internet for schoolwork .

More than three out of four high school and junior high school students use the Internet regularly, according to Pew figures.

Many said they saw the Internet as an excellent research tool, enabling them to complete schoolwork more quickly and draw upon a wide range of up-to-date sources. Students said they share tips about useful Web sites, chat about class projects or upcoming tests, and even set up Web sites of their own for use by others.

But much of this in-depth use occurs outside of school walls, students told researchers. During the school day, students said Internet-connected computers are often isolated in computer labs or placed under other restrictions. Teachers are often reluctant to assign projects that require Internet use because they do not want to exclude those who do not have access at home, they said.

And content filters -- required for all schools that receive federal subsidies for Internet connection fees -- often block legitimate Web sites that they try to visit, students said.

While students recognize the need to avoid objectionable material, they view filters as a clumsy tool, Rainie said.

``They would say a higher level of trust needs to be given to them, along with basic instructions'' about how to avoid objectionable material, he said.

While parents tended to be more worried about pornography, fraud and stalkers online, kids tended to see excessive use as the Internet's greatest danger, Rainie said.