A 2-year study examined writing skills development of 11- and 12-year olds with unlimited access to word processors. Samples of the 22 subjects' narrative writing were compared with samples from a parallel class that used hand writing methods. Results indicated that the children using word processors produced better quality writing than the…

Two sets of secondary students (n=26) were interviewed about attitudes toward writing after using laptop word processors. Handwriting remained popular and quicker for most writing tasks; neither planning nor constructive reflection on language were enhanced; typing speeds remained very slow; and the connotations of "writing" were…