Some concerns regarding the use of computers in reading instruction are addressed in this report. The first section explores the similarities and differences between reading printed materials and computer display screens (legibility, portability, etc.) and presents some advantages and disadvantages of computers. The next section explains two ways in which computer programs for education can be categorized: according to the written structure of the program (drill, tutorial, simulation, etc.) and according to student needs (to inform, reinforce, etc.). Next, a software evaluation checklist, provided for teachers, focuses on aspects of programs that facilitate the ease and efficiency of reading, including screen appearance, line breaks, and accompanying documentation. The paper then describes two programs promoting the combined teaching of reading and writing--the Bank Street Writer and the Story Tree from Scholastic--and suggests 24 activities for use with these programs, including correcting misspellings, incorrect grammar, and punctuation; putting sentences in proper sequence; creative writing; and editing. The last section discusses the need for including computer-related books in the classroom library and provides short abstracts of books representing the three main categories of books on computers (computer literacy, programming, and fiction). (LLZ)