This doctoral dissertation explores diverse facets of online research and comprehension among college students with English as a second or foreign language (L2 students). The research involves three distinct investigations within this overarching theme. Firstly, the study delves into the online reading and writing practices employed by Korean L2 students (N = 11) in a US college setting. Through the collection and analysis of verbal protocols, computer screen recordings, and pre- and post-task interviews, the research revealed that L2 students adeptly leverage the Internet and digital tools. Their practices include text scanning, selective focus, background knowledge building, linguistic resource access, and multimodal incorporation in reading and writing. The findings provide empirical evidence supporting the notion that new literacies are particularly beneficial for certain readers, emphasizing the positive impact of the Internet and digital technologies on enhancing the academic language development of L2 students. Secondly, the dissertation investigates the factors influencing the meaning construction of L2 students during online problem-solving tasks. Analysis of collected data identifies key factors, including goal setting and orientation, prior knowledge of search engines, familiarity with the topic and cultural backgrounds, information evaluation, and digital annotations and note-taking. The research significantly contributes to the literature by identifying and elucidating the factors affecting the meaning construction of online readers. Lastly, the research explores how bilingual students, proficient in both their first language and English, make meaning during online problem-solving tasks. Data analysis uncovered that bilingual students benefit from utilizing their first language resources, translanguaging in private and external speech, and engaging with translation machines. The results expand discussions in translanguaging to include bilinguals' private speech/language of ideas and present evidence to prove the role of digital technologies in translanguaging practices. In conclusion, this comprehensive dissertation contributes nuanced insights into the online reading and writing of L2 students, providing valuable considerations for educators, researchers, and policymakers seeking to enhance the new literacies and academic language learning development for this student demographic. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]