"Writing to Read" is a computer based program designed to teach students with learning handicaps to "write to read." The philosophy of the program is that students will learn to read more effectively and efficiently if they are taught to write--to encode their normal language as the initial process in learning to read. Through the use of the IBM Personal Computer, the "Writing to Read" program develops skills by teaching children the phonemic constituents of the English language--not only the 26 letters of the alphabet, but also the 42 sounds of English that are represented in many different ways. It teaches them how to combine sounds and letters to create words, turn words into sentences, and write stories that are illustrated, bound into books, and read to the students' peers and to others. The program generates a great deal of student pride in their work and has been successful with approximately 600 students with a variety of learning problems. (An observation checklist for possible problems in language and intellectual development is included.) (Author/HTH)