A study examined the extent to which microcomputers were used in high school industrial arts courses and assessed the types of inservice experiences and instructional materials needed to expand such usage. To gather data for the study, the researcher mailed surveys to a random sample of 200 junior high school and high school industrial arts departments across the country. A second round of survey instruments was sent to a new sample of industrial arts departments. Response rates to the first and second rounds were 70 and 43 percent respectively. A follow-up telephone survey was then conducted to verify the response rate of the second survey. Based on these data collection efforts, it was concluded that industrial arts teachers were making little use of computers and microcomputers in their courses; however, comments on the surveys indicated a growing interest in including microcomputers in industrial arts courses. After analyzing the factors that were mentioned as encouraging and discouraging microcomputer usage in industrial arts courses, the researcher recommended the following items to encourage the use of computers and microcomputers: additional funding, software that is designed specifically for industrial arts courses and a clearinghouse to aid in the procurement of such software, access to inservice and college courses on the use of computers in industrial arts courses, and technical assistance to help teachers with specific problems encountered in preparing software and instructional materials. (Both survey instruments are appended to this report.) (MN)