Ability to use a word processing program such as Word. Specific skills include opening and saving documents to user defined locations and folders, ability to change margins, format paragraphs, change font size, type, and colour, using a spell check feature, being able to create tables, insert graphics, create headers and footnotes, being able to track changes and use the find and replace function.

Ability to use a spreadsheet program such as Excel. Specific skills include opening and saving documents to user defined locations and folders, creating multiple page work books, ability to change margins and border cells, change font size, type, and colour, create tables and graphs, insert graphics, create headers and footers, and use the find and replace function. User should be able to format by cells or rows, or by column or sheet, be able to track changes, use sheet or workbook protection, and how to use the sort and sum functions.

Ability to use presentation software, such as Powerpoint. Specific skills include opening and saving presentation materials to user defined locations and folders, using templates to create presentation slides, being able to insert charts, graphs, graphics and movie files into slides, change font size, type, and colour, and being able to run a slideshow presentation once it is completed.

Ability to use a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. Specific skills include being able to open, resize and operate and manage multiple browser windows, ability and understanding of how and why to refresh a browser window, understanding of the basic commands: refresh, home, search, favourites, history, and print. Users must also be able to adjust security levels, understand what cookies are, how to clear their cache, what temporary files are, how to reset their home page, how to set the number of days a web page remains in their history folder, how to change their text size viewing option, how to organize and manage their Favorites folder, and how to reconfigure their browser toolbar.

Ability to use a software based email client such as Eudora. Specific skills include how to configure an email client, how to send and receive email, the difference between rich text and plain text email, how to set up and use a signature file, how to configure and create mail boxes, use the find function, and set up mail filter rules. Users must be able to set up lists using their Address book, understand how to access campus directory functions from their email client (if available), and how to attach files to outgoing mail. Users must know how to permanently delete unwanted email (delete + trash), how to use stationery, and how to block email addresses from spammers. 

Ability to use an HTML editor, such as FrontPage. Specific skills include setting up a basic web page, setting style tags or using CSS, formating paragraphs and tables, and creating hyperlinks. This includes being able to FTP documents to and from server space.

Ability to identify their computer's operating system, update drivers and install software and connect hardware, troubleshoot problems, and be able to find files and folders on their hard drive.

Ability to use photo editing software, such as Photoshop. Specific skills include being able to crop photos, optimize them for the web, and adjust basic colour balance.