Writing is an important content area that pervades all subject areas and is required for post-school success, yet many students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often struggle in written expression. In this article we discuss the characteristics of students with ASD that make writing difficult, and the strengths, such as the use of technology,…

Reviews recent research concerning the use of computers in language arts instruction, reporting little impact on writing quality, but improvement in students' attitudes toward writing. Provides suggestions for effective computer use and warnings concerning their limitations and misuse in the teaching of basic writers. (DMM)

This article discusses the advantages of using computer-assisted composing (CAC) to teach composition to elementary and secondary school students with learning problems. It also describes the effects of CAC on student writing and offers several caveats for teachers who plan to use CAC in their classrooms. (JDD)

To learn more about the impact of word processing on the writing of college freshmen, a 2-year study involving 320 students of average writing ability investigated whether (1) students using word processors write significantly better than those who do not; (2) manipulating and improving sentences on a screen affects students' awareness of grammar,…

Using word processing in the elementary school writing curriculum is advantageous for both students and teachers. Word processors motivate students to spend more time on task, encourage changes and rewriting, and eliminate concern for neatness and the tedium of writing (and rewriting) by hand. Teachers can see that students using the word…

Explains how the search feature available with most word processing programs can reinforce grammar and proofreading skills, helping students focus on grammatical agreement, comma usage, and sentence fragments. Discusses student responses to the technique. (DMM)

To determine whether basic writers revise more successfully using word processors as opposed to pen and paper, a study investigated the quality of revision of approximately 100 college basic writers in three classes at a southern university. In the fall semester, word processors were used in each of the three classes once every two weeks. In the…

Discusses computer editing and describes the capacities and features of an integrated software package, Writer's Workbench. Suggests ways in which this program can be used to improve writing skills. Reviews the effects of this program on technical users, college students, and high school students. (ML)

Discusses a study of the effects of first year composition students' use of a microcomputer as a word processor on the quality of their writing. Compares students who used the word processor with those who hand wrote their compositions, revealing greater improvement among the word processing group, regardless of initial skill levels. (PAA)

Addressing the difficulty encountered by many vocational students in narrowing, focusing, developing, and structuring their ideas for technical writing projects, a computer program was designed to provide these students with a simple, time-saving method of brainstorming and organizing their thoughts. By asking thought-generating questions…

Based on the notion that children will rewrite willingly if given a definite purpose, three alternatives for revision connect the necessity of revision to the students' acceptance and desire to revise. The first alternative is to have the children revise their original story format, where the basic storyline remains the same, but the ideas,…

One of the best teaching methods adaptable to the computer is the writing conference. The student and teacher meet at the computer and work with the piece directly on the screen. Holding writing conferences at the computer allows the teacher to get closer to the student's writing processes and to determine the stage or stages with which the…

Originally developed as part of a project for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on computers and writing is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes an overview of the project; a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a lecture giving an…

Discussion of programs for analyzing the writing of students using word processors focuses on six categories of available software that can help to improve students' writing skills: error checkers, reformatters, audience awareness programs (including reader's needs and readability formulas), student conferencing utilities, grading utilities, and…

Designing a curriculum to introduce freshman composition students to computer assisted composition involves the cooperation of the composition instructor and the writing center director. One college has developed such a curriculum using the "Milliken Word Processor" (Milliken Publishing Company), a simple program with a variety of…