A practicum was designed to increase mildly intellectually disabled students' written communication skills by demonstrating functional written expression skills in daily assignments and in social communication. A sequenced reading and language program with the integration of journal writing and computer applications was utilized. Seventh- and eighth-grade students with mild disabilities were provided a structured, language-rich environment in which to communicate. The instructor planned structured activities that involved reading, audiovisuals, current events, and cooperative activities along with a structured, daily writing program. Collaboration was an important aspect in that students were involved in many role playing and verbal rehearsal activities to increase conversation and writing skills. Writing to convey a message was emphasized initially and students were introduced to the function of words in sentences. Progress was monitored using holistic scoring methods. Review of the practicum outcomes revealed 7 out of 10 students were able to demonstrate functional written expression skills in journals and on daily assignments after a competent writer had modeled structure. Students interaction in cooperative activities provided an excellent platform for writing. Students displayed motivation to communicate. Appropriate use of mechanics was documented along with increases in spelled words, sentence length, and legibility. Reading and language instruction reinforced mechanics rules and built upon them. Increased success is predicted if more time is provided for the program. (Contains a figure and 23 references.) (Author/TB)