THE PURPOSES OF THE PROJECT WERE TO (1) DESIGN A SELF-PACED TEACHING DEVICE FOR THE BLIND WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE EVALUATION OF SYSTEMATIC TRAINING IN PREREADING TACTUAL DISCRIMINATION AND BRAILLE CHARACTER DISCRIMINATION AS BOTH RELATE TO SUBSEQUENT ABILITY TO LEARN TO READ BRAILLE SYMBOLS, (2) DESIGN AN ELECTRONIC AUTOMATED DEVICE WHICH ALLOWS THE TACHISTOSTATIC OR MOMENTARY PRESENTATION OF BRAILLE SYMBOLS, AND (3) DESIGN A SELF-PACED METHOD OF MOVING A TAPE OF BRAILLE SYMBOLS BENEATH STATIONARY FINGERS. THE THREE DEVICES DESIGNED AND BUILT WERE (1) A TACTUAL DISCRIMINATION DEVICE -- A MODIFIED CODE OSCILLATOR ABOUT 1" BY 2" BY 4" WITH A SMALL EARPHONE AND STYLUS ATTACHED, (2) A BRAILLE TACHISTOTACT -- AN EXPERIMENTER-CONTROLLED MACHINE-PACED DEVICE TO FACILITATE INCREASES IN THE SPEED OF RECOGNITION AND ACCURACY OF DISCRIMINATION OF INDIVIDUAL BRAILLE CONFIGURATION, AND (3) A BRAILLE READER WHICH MOVES BRAILLE ON A TAPE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT ACROSS AN EXPOSED PRESENTATION WINDOW. DURING THE 2 YEARS OF THE PROJECT (1963-65), A TOTAL OF 54 CHILDREN IN GRADES 3 THROUGH 9 AND 66 ADULTS WERE INVOLVED IN CONTROL AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF THE AUTOMATED SELF-LEARNING DEVICES. ALL THREE WERE FOUND TO ENHANCE THE BLIND PERSON'S RATE OF READING BRAILLE. (PS)