Students must be able to produce legible and fluent text when completing classwork and for exam purposes. Some students, however, present with handwriting difficulties in secondary school. When these are significant, intervention may be necessary or alternatives to handwriting may be offered (e.g. use of a word processor). Little is known about…

This intervention study aimed to test the effect of writing process feedback. Sixty-five Grade 10 students received a personal report based on keystroke logging data, including information on several writing process aspects. Participants compared their writing process to exemplar processes of equally scoring (position-setting condition) or…

This study investigated the effect of computer-mediated corrective feedback types in an English as a foreign language (EFL) intact class over time. The participants were 64 English majors who were assigned randomly into three treatment conditions that gave and received computer-mediated corrective feedback while writing (track changes, word…

This article presents student and faculty ratings of electronic editing (EE) functions (i.e., track changes, insert comments, highlighting) as used for "e-feedback" on written assignments. Students reported increased convenience, clarity of expectations, amount of feedback, and writing ability as well as substantial improvement in EE skills…

There is considerable concern that the majority of adolescents do not develop the competence in writing they need to be successful in school, the workplace, or their personal lives. A common explanation for why youngsters do not write well is that schools do not do a good job of teaching this complex skill. In an effort to identify effective…

This study explores ways of helping fifth grade students edit their work appropriately for their grade level. The use of Daily Oral Language, grammar worksheets, or the reliance on the teacher to edit were eliminated. Instead, more direction for students was provided through the use of checklists, peer editing, and word processing on a computer.…

Raises issues connected to the new teaching problems that accompany using computers in writing classrooms. Discusses three general categories: difficulties in transferring successful practices; difficulties in expanding successful practices; and difficulties in simply understanding which teaching practices may turn out to be successful. (MG)

This study compared the effectiveness of two intervention approaches, task analysis and cognitive strategy, for imparting the first stages of word-processing skills to adults with mild to moderate mental retardation. Instruction in basic text-typing and paragraph transfer to 25 participants found that both methods were effective but that, for some…

The 2-year study investigated the use of word processing technology with 36 learning disabled (LD) intermediate grade children and 9 remedial teachers in five Massachusetts school districts. During the first year study staff documented how word processing was being used. In the second year, word processing activities hypothesized to be the most…

The article addresses use of microcomputer-based word processing for students with writing disabilities. The research is briefly reviewed, and four guidelines for choosing word processing software are offered, as are principles for teaching keyboarding. (DB)

This study compared the grade equivalents of students with learning disabilities in English composition classes using traditional lecture and word processing formats, to determine which format would best accommodate these students at San Antonio College (Texas). Students in the word processing class were instructed on the use of the computer…

A model of writing instruction integrating word processing, strategy instruction, and a process approach, within a social context for writing as a meaningful task, was tested with 113 elementary students with learning disabilities. Students in experimental classes made greater gains in quality of their narrative and informative writing than did…

This study described teaching methods in use in computer studies classes, explored the reasons for their use, and explored perceptions of effectiveness. Four main research methods were used: semistructured interviews; observation of teaching; perusal of course documents; and informal collection of information by talking to students and tutors. One…

Instructional television (ITV) is an effective medium for improving teaching and learning at all levels of education. Thirteen brief case studies provide teacher's insights into how ITV can be integrated with newer computer and satellite technologies to provide instructional opportunities in numerous academic subjects for all students. The voices…

This report offers a number of specific teaching techniques that research suggests will help 4th- to 12th-grade students in this nation's schools. The report focuses on all students, not just those who display writing difficulties, although this latter group is deservedly the focus of much attention. The premise of this report is that all students…