In 1964, the author proposed a multisensory approach to reading, and reading was seen as a language skill related to the development of verbal symbolic behavior. A closer focus was permitted on the child's learning process, which consists of preverbal learning (perceptually automatized and subconsciously acquired) and conceptual learning (which is only accomplished when the child can bend his perceptually processed alphabets to his expressive verbal needs). Further research has indicated that an early development of either auditory or visual perceptual processes leads to early and accurate use of speech or reading, respectively. Research also has shown that as the child develops he appears to use one modality in preference to others in learning, but modality dominance tends to be overcome by most children around the age of 9. In 1969, perceptual process development was clearly defined by Chalfant and Schefflin, and since then a perceptual test battery which seeks to determine the level of development of necessary preverbal skills has been developed. Although the battery is still in an experimental form, sufficient research has been done with it to offer some direct observations. It was concluded that most research studies suggest that slower developing individual modalities is a natural process which should not be confused with other handicaps and that educational programs should be developed to suit the modality preference of the individual child. (AW)