Computer Assisted Writing Instruction: Is It Effective?

Educators have been attempting for several years to improve student communication skills through the use of computer-assisted instruction (CAI). While numerous studies have attempted to measure the effects of using CAI, results have been inconsistent and inconclusive. Most studies reveal that both students and faculty possess a positive feel ing toward CAI but that students do not experience significant improvement in writing as a result of using Writer's Workbench. This experimental study focused on student groups that used Writer's Workbench, considered the grandfather of all text analysis programs, and found that business stu dents do not perceive a significant improvement in writing after using Writer's Workbench. Students who used Writer's Workbench did, however, perceive significant improvement in their oral communication skills.