Describes a five-year study at University College, University of Cincinnati, comparing the writing of basic writing students who (1) did not use computers; (2) used a computer and word processing program; and (3) used a supplementary program guiding students through the writing process. Reports no significant differences in writing quality. (DMM)

Comments on Margaret Spear's work dealing with sex differences in handwriting and cultural stereotyping. Presents evidence of substantial differences between the handwriting of boys and girls. Finds that cultural stereotypes are accepted by teachers. Reports that children are able to determine the sex of the writer from examining the handwriting…

In this objective scoring procedure for assessing learning-disabled students' writing, a standardized process is used to collect writing samples, which are then scored for number of legible words, total number of words written, percentage of legible words, correctly spelled words, number of correct word sequences, and mean length of correct word…

Examined four times throughout the school year kindergartners' writing of four word pairs. Found that children generally began writing more letters unconventionally for longer words than for shorter before they began writing the same letters unconventionally for the same sounds. Concluded that the word pairs could identify children who have become…

Five students (ages 9-10) with learning disabilities and severe writing problems wrote in dialog journals using a standard word processor and then using a word processor with speech-synthesis and word prediction features. The special features had a strong effect on the legibility and spelling for four students. (Author/CR)

Eighty-three Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) writing prompts administered via computer-based testing between July 1998 and August 2000 were examined for differences attributable to the response mode (handwriting or word processing) chosen by examinees. Differences were examined statistically using polytomous logistic regression. A…

A fully detailed teacher's manual for classroom, home, or tutorial use, this book is for the child in the beginning grades, the pupil who needs remedial work, or any adult studying English as a second language, who will find learning by the Spalding Method a practical, quick way of mastering verbal skills. The book notes that the Spalding Method…

An example is given of the use of task analysis and functional analysis to pinpoint the environmental cause of what appeared to be a perceptual handicap in an elementary grade girl. (DB)

A photoelectric pen (PEP) which provides immediate auditory feedback is reported to have improved the fine motor control of a 13-year-old moderately retarded girl. (CL)

This article introduces our Web-based handwriting education system developed with 3D computer graphics and pen computing technologies. Traditionally, in teaching handwriting, the teacher writes a character on the blackboard, and then students try to follow the teacher in order to write the same character. The teacher can check whether a student's…

The study investigated and recorded changes in selected psychomotor skills of an 11-year old gifted male with severe motoric problems identified as dysgraphia. A pre-post test design using videotape evaluation recordings was employed to determine changes in psychomotor performance, and a rating scale was designed to establish baseline and…

A study was conducted to determine the ability of kindergarten children to match manuscript, cursive, italic, and D'Nealian handwritten letters to typeset letters, their ability to read letters in these five styles, and the relationship of reading and matching abilities. Children were asked to match typeset distractors to lower case letters…

Noting that introducing students to cursive writing just when they have begun to master manuscript does not provide the continuity consistent with the rest of their education, a Montana school district implemented instruction in italic handwriting. The program was evaluated three years after implementation. Writing samples from all students in…

Seventy students in a college business communications course participated in a study to determine whether there were significant differences in students' attitudes toward the course when the traditional writing method or the word processing method was used. The study also sought to ascertain whether the traditional writing method developed a…