ABSTRACT
For a chapter on the use of technology to facilitate literacy skills, these three quotes may appear out of place and somewhat peculiar as an introduction. However, it is precisely for their somewhat ominous tone and their rather familiar ring that they are included. These thoughts reflect the concerns often expressed by language specialists who feel pressed to use technology in their instructional practices with students with language literacy disabilities (LLD). Feelings of loss of control, fears that computers will take over the role of the language specialist, and images of students lined up in front of computers like automatons are real to some language specialists. Indeed, the devaluation and dehumanization of students with literacy disabilities whom language specialists serve has the potential to occur more frequently in this age of technology (Locke, 1998).
