The content and quality of the documentation and teachers guides that accompanied 55 educational microcomputer software programs were examined, to determine whether the technical and pedagogical information provided by such guides enabled teachers to fully exploit the instructional potential of the programs. The courseware covered basic elementary and secondary subject areas, and 50 were single disk programs. Results indicated that the multi-disk, multi-level program guides were similar to the single disk guides but did not reflect the complexity of the programs they represented. Most guides adequately covered needed technical information but contained limited pedagogic information. Lack of comprehensive documentation may result in serious school and classroom implementation problems. Faced with an unfamiliar technology and a lack of prior experience in which to place and integrate microcomputer software, teachers will be faced with using a trial and error approach in exploring basic computer applications. This report includes definitions of technical and instructional terms, examples of inadequate and exemplary treatment of elements helpful in using instructional software, and a table of instructional and technical characteristics on which the documentation and teacher guides were rated. (Author/LMM)