This study is an interim follow-up to an investigation of how computer use influences the writing process used by high school students on a direct writing assessment (Wolfe and others, 1994). Whether students with less comfort and experience with word processors would receive lower scores on word-processed essays than those with more comfort and experience with wordprocessing was studied. Also studied was whether differences in the length, neatness, accuracy, and tone of computer-written or hand-written essays by the same student could be attributed to the level of comfort in using a word processor. Interim results with 406 tenth graders indicate that students who have a greater level of comfort and experience using word processors for writing tend to score similarly on direct writing assessments whether the essays are composed on word processors or with pen and paper, while students who are less experienced using computers are more apt to perform better when their writing is composed with pen and paper. Fifteen tables present study data. Appendixes contain the student and teacher questionnaires. (Contains 22 references.) (SLD)