TO COUNTERACT THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES AND ABNORMAL ATMOSPHERE AMONG DEAF CHILDREN IN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS, A SEX EDUCATION CURRICULUM WAS DEVELOPED BY A STUDY GROUP COMPOSED OF TEAHCERS OF THE DEAF, SOCIAL HYGIENE PERSONNEL, AND A SOCIOLOGIST. A CONTROL GROUP WAS OBTAINED FROM THE INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF MATCHING FACTORS SUCH AS AGE, SEX, ACHIEVEMENT, AND IQ WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP FROM THE ILLINOIS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF. THE K-12 SEX EDUCATION CURRICULUM WAS PRESENTED TO THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. FILMS AND EXISTING MATERIALS WERE ADAPTED FOR USE WITH THE DEAF WHENEVER POSSIBLE. CLASSES WERE MIXED RATHER THAN SEPARATED BY SEX. THE CLASS ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL (AGES 6-11) FOCUSED ON FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AND GROWTH PATTERNS, THE ADOLESCENT CLASS (AGES 12 TO 15) DEALT WITH THE CONCEPTS OF ENTERING ADOLESCENCE AND BECOMING ADULT, AND THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL (AGES 16 TO 18) FOCUSED ON PREPARATION FOR AND ACCEPTANCE INTO ADULT SOCIETY. A PRETEST AND A POST-TEST WERE GIVEN. THE ADOLESCENT AND HIGH SCHOOL TEST WAS DESIGNED TO MEASURE INFORMATION AND ATTITUDES COVERED IN THE MATERIALS DEVELOPED IN THE SOCIAL AND PERSONAL HYGIENE CURRICULUM GUIDES. THE TEST FOR THE ELEMENTARY GROUPS WAS DESIGNED AS A NONVERBAL PICTORIAL TEST. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OF ADOLESCENTS AND THE EXPERIMENTAL HIGH SCHOOL AGE GROUP SOCRED SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER (.01 LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE) ON THE POST-TEST THAN THE CONTROL GROUP. TESTING MATERIAL MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. THE MATERIALS AND CURRICULUM WERE EVALUATED AND REVISED FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION BY A STUDY GROUP AFTER THE EXPERIMENT. THE RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENT WERE ALSO DISSEMINATED IN A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS. SUGGESTIONS FOR AIDING OTHER SCHOOLS IN ESTABLISHING SEX EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED, INCLUDING AN INSERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR BOTH THE ACADEMIC AND RESIDENTIAL STAFFS AND PARTICIPATION BY THE COMMUNITY AND THE PARENTS. SAMPLE TESTS, QUESTIONNAIRES, AND RESPONSES ARE INCLUDED. (AA/JD)