This study dealt with two skill courses, business machines, and beginning typewriting. The control groups received instruction in the traditional method. The experimental groups attended open laboratory at any time convenient to them to receive their instruction. The groups were compared on the basis of identical performance tests. Materials to instruct the experimental group included 8mm film loops with sound tracks, slides with accompanying narration on magnetic tape, timed writings or production timings on magnetic tape, and hand-out sheets explaining any preparation necessary prior to the instruction. Differences between groups at the .05 level in both beginning typing and business machines indicate that the experimental groups did learn more as measured by the final performance test. Questionnaire s indicated that students generally preferred the open laboratory method of learning over the traditional classroom method. Some of the recommendations were: (1) further research in an effort to build a completely individualized curriculum, (2) greater teacher availability by qualified teaching technicians, and (3) enrollment procedures allowing prospective students to begin a section at any time. (MM)