Microcomputers were introduced into the Scotia Union School District in rural northern California in 1979 when the district superintendent-principal proposed using part of a "forest reserve grant" from the United States Forest Service in California to purchase two microcomputers, one for use in the special education classroom and the other for use in the school office. The paper details the evolution of the acceptance of microcomputers by faculty, students, and the community until the fall of 1984, when there were 15 computers in use in the school. In a 5-year period, the school had gone from being totally untouched by computer technology to having a reputation as one of the leading rural users of microcomputers in the state of California. This assessment of the conditions which led to the expansion of computer technology in Scotia provides insight into that process as it might occur in other rural settings. The case study includes discussions of the community setting; the growth of computer usage in Scotia; its impact on teaching and learning; and future prospects. (THC)