An article that suggests that for the 'IM' generation the ability to write is disappearing:

"in many other classrooms, traditional cursive is on its way out. So many students have trouble with it that teachers are increasingly adopting a simpler style known as Italic or print cursive"

The last exam I took to become an architect was a professional exam on legal practice issues - all the people in the room had been working as architects for several years and over half of us had forgotten how to use cursive writing legibly, and so had to do entire essays in uppercase print.
I now never use cursive writing, and notice that many of my friends do not, as this article suggests, perhaps it is becoming a legacy.

Keyboards may replace cursive, some warn