Part of a larger ethnographic study, this investigation focused on the literacy development of a college student as he participated in the virtual culture of a computer-networked writing classroom where all instruction and communication occurred through the computer. The student was a member of one of two classes of adult students, ranging in age between 25 and 48, all employed in upstate New York. Data included transcripts of large- and small-group discussions, response writings and compositions, composition logs, focus group discussions about computer networking, transcripts of electronic mail communications, field notes, and student interviews. Results indicated that: (1) e-mail communication between the teacher and the student served as backstage support; (2) the relationships the student developed with members of the small group provided an anchor for his actions within the large group; (3) the student gained respect from class members, which may have been more forthcoming through computer networking than in face-to-face interaction where traces of the student's speech handicap might have caused resistance; (4) his writing demonstrated a closing of the communication gap through his strength of voice and his attention to clarity and coherence; and (5) the student acquired metacognitive knowledge about writing and valued peer response. Findings suggest that an electronic environment where readers' responses link feelings to thought and where responses are shared with ease can lead to more powerful learning for some students than in a traditional classroom. (Contains 21 references.) (RS)