In this article, I discuss research on the use of technology to support the writing of students with learning disabilities. Struggling writers can benefit from a wide range of computer applications for writing. Word processing, spelling checkers, word prediction, and speech recognition offer support for transcription and revision. Word processing…

Based on a study of eight LD students learning to use word processing, the paper makes recommendations for evaluating word processing software and designing instruction that is sensitive to students' difficulties. (Author/CL)

Two studies with a total of 82 students (grades 5-7) with learning disabilities found that, unaided, students corrected 9% of their errors; with spelling checkers, they corrected 37% of errors. Spelling checkers failed to identify about 30% of errors. Students usually selected the correct word from spelling checker suggestions. (Author/DB)

Uses a case study of a third-grade student with a severe learning disability and an attention deficit disorder to illustrate use of word prediction and speech synthesis software to help students with such tasks as communicating via dialog journals. Guidelines (such as using a relatively small word list) and evidence of the method's effectiveness…

This article reviews ways that computers can support writing by students with learning disabilities. It discusses research on word processing, software for transcription and sentence generation, spelling checkers, speech synthesizers, word prediction programs, grammar and style checkers, prompting programs, outlining and semantic mapping software,…