Abstract:
Research of the past decade has gradually moved from a reliance on a technocentric perspective to a view informed by the interaction of technology with the culture in which it exists. The current research examines the development of a supportive "writing milieu" which harnesses the motivation generated by the use of word processors while incorporating complementary instructional techniques including process-oriented writing, peer proofreading and elements of the data-based instruction approach. A multiple-baseline across subjects time-series design was chosen for the study of two intact secondary classes for students with mild intellectual handicap in separate rural centres. Pilot and main study results have shown that exceptional students can decrease error rates in stories and letters produced on the word processor as a first step toward more qualitative improvements while exhibiting positive attitudes toward writing with computers.