Results of 2 years of applying microcomputing technology in a college freshman English program at a medium-sized university are reported. Using a cross-factorial research design, six instructors and six control and six experimental sections were studied to determine the cognitive, pedagogic, and financial implications of the microcomputer application. Attention was directed to the effects of word processing on: student composition skills; faculty time spent in teaching, class preparation, grading, and student consultation; student-faculty interaction; and costs of creating and operating a microcomputing lab facility. Findings include: students not using word processing outperformed students using this technology as measured by the standard Houghton-Mifflin College English Placement Exam; instructors spent about 22% more time with the word processing section compared to the section not using this equipment; the average cost per computer workstation hour per student was 39 cents, or $468 per semester for a section of 25 students. Cognitive data from the previous year showed the word processing section outperforming the control group section. (SW)