The article offers suggestions for using word processing as an intervention tool with language handicapped students from elementary to college levels. Examples are offered to speech/language clinicians for using word processing in both clinical and administrative applications. Basic word processing is described in addition to graphics, synthesized…

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)

Investigates the level of students' private access to computers. Finds that nearly half of the students surveyed have access to computers outside the university labs. Discusses how students' independent access can influence courses aimed at integrating word processing and the writing process. (PRA)

Discussion of French language planning focuses on two different roles: official, cherished language of France and international language subject to outside influence. Three areas of concern are discussed: borrowing from English; lexical variation outside France; and influence of computer science on language, particularly the use of spell-checking…

Presents a research agenda for examining learners' and teachers' conceptions of computers, language, and writing and their relations to one another. Claims that theories of computer usage are connected to notions of language and writing. Provides a theoretical foundation for proceeding with needed research. (HB)

Students aged 11-12, placed in groups of four, used word processors to write about a dramatized event using persuasive, newspaper, recount, or report styles. Students' talk as they engaged in the task was analyzed to illuminate the linguistic and cognitive processes involved in group construction of text. (Author/SV)

When assessing teacher candidates, there are eight computer-literacy areas to consider: word processing, databases, spreadsheets, presentation programs, online service access, e-mail, trouble-shooting common computer problems, and computer software usage and evaluation. Finalists should be able to demonstrate these competencies. (MLH)

Asks undergraduate students to respond to a series of questions by hand and using a word processor. Finds that some students felt profoundly disadvantaged writing by hand, and students who felt uncomfortable on the computer wrote longer and better developed responses in that medium. Suggests that a computer-assisted tutorial may act like L.…

A study investigated spell check programs to determine how they differ in producing target words in the first position in the replacement list for misspellings generated by 111 students with learning disabilities in grades 3-8. Overall, the spell checkers were ineffective in producing target words first in the replacement list. (Contains…

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)

Presents a model of a computer writing skill consisting of four stages of development: (1) writing easier; (2) writing more; (3) writing differently; and (4) writing better. This process represents the evolution of a natural computer-based writing approach under favorable conditions regarding the starting state of the user and a range of…

A study examined the effects of several text-entry methods, including handwriting and five computer-based approaches, in enhancing the speed of text entry for 108 students with learning disabilities. Handwriting was found to be the fastest mode of text entry, followed by word prediction. All methods improved writing accuracy. (Author/CR)

Finding information on the Web without encountering numerous false positives poses a challenge to multimedia information retrieval systems (MMIR). This research focuses on improving precision and recall in an MMIR system by interactively combining text processing with image processing in both the indexing and retrieval phases. A picture search…

Adolescent literacy achievement across the United States is in crisis. More than eight million students in grades 4 to 12 are identified as struggling readers. These students, who perform below grade level in reading and writing, are at high risk for failure in all content subjects and ultimately for dropping out of school. Professionals in the…

Organization and word processing software programs empower students with disabilities to become more independent in their writing. In this article, the authors describe techniques for incorporating organizational programs and word processing features into the writing process. Beneficial features include word prediction, voice output, spell…