Patrik O'Brian Holt Heriot-Watt University After speech, writing is the most common form of human communication and represents the cornerstone of our ability to preserve and record information. Writing, by its very definition, requires artifacts in the form of tools to write with and a medium to write on. Through history these artifacts have ranged from sticks and clay tablets, feather and leather, crude pens and paper, sophisticated pens and paper, typewriters and paper; and electronic devices with or without paper. The development of writing tools has straightforward objectives, to make writing easier and more effective and assist in distributing written communication fast and efficiently. Both the crudest and most sophisticated forms of writing tools act as mediators of human written communication for the purpose of producing, distributing and conserving written language. In the modern world the computer is arguably the most sophisticated form of mediation, the implications of which are not yet fully understood. The use of computers (a writing artifact which mediates communication) for the production and editing of text is almost as old as computers themselves. Early computers involved the use of crude text editors and a writer had to insert commands resembling a programming language to format and print a document. For example to underline a word the writer had to do the following, This is an example of how to .ul underline a single word. in order to produce: This is an example of how to underline a single word.

In this book, James A. Inman explores the landscape of the contemporary computers and writing community. Its six chapters engage critical issues, including redefining the community's generally accepted history, connecting its contemporary innovators with its long-standing spirit of innovation, advocating for increased access and diversity, and more. Between chapters, readers will find "Community Voices" sections, which provide a snapshot of the contemporary computers and writing community and introduce, in a non-hierarchical form, more than 100 of its members from around the world, in their own voices. Computers and Writing: The Cyborg Era features a simultaneous emphasis on individuals, communities, and contexts they share; a creative rethinking of the character and values of the computers and writing community; a holistic exploration of meaning-making; and an activist approach to pedagogy. It is a must-read book for anyone interested in rhetoric, technology, and pedagogy, including faculty, graduate students, and colleagues in professions outside the academy.

Annotation. Presents both the philosophical and theoretical background for research in computer-assisted composition and a review and synthesis of the efficacy research in this area. The focus is on effective writing instruction for elementary, secondary, and special needs students. A paper edition is available (0336-X, $14.95). Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

A collection of essays on diverse issues in collaborative work explores the political, social, and individual psychologies of students, teachers, and researchers working together.

A reference on Computer Assisted Language Learning for administrators, teachers, and researchers. Includes methodology and concordancing, etc. Suitable for self-study, and developing teaching methods.