Noting that few scholars have examined specifically how technology is affecting basic communication processes, students in interpersonal, small group, and advanced presentational forms classes studied the systems model of interpersonal communication. The systems model described by P. Emmert and W.C. Donaghy includes the following components: environment, shared field of experience, input-processing-output subsystems, verbal and nonverbal messages and feedback, and interference. Students then communicated with each other via a simulated computer conference and teleconference and analyzed how the model's components were affected by these technologies. Generally, the students thought the technologies destroyed the components of the systems model and thus would cause less effective communication. The major components that were affected by both computer conferencing and teleconferencing were the nonverbal messages and feedback. With the absence of all nonverbal cues in both simulations, students missed the emotional aspect, attitudinal message, role negotiation, and turn taking of face-to-face interaction. However, the negative responses failed to consider that such changes do not automatically adversely affect communication effectiveness. Rather than assuming that change in these implicit components damages effective communication, communicators can consciously recognize and thus promote control of these components, thereby increasing communication effectiveness with these technologies. (HTH)