A study was initiated with 60 blind children (kindergarten through grade 2) in order to validate the order of a sequence of tactual discrimination tasks leading to the use of braille and the Optacon. Ss were tested with tasks designed for the readiness level (discrimination of large solid geometric shapes, flat puzzle pieces, embossed dot geometric figures, raised line geometric figures, embossed dot line figures, and raised line segments), culminating with the tactual discrimination of braille figures and of inkprint figures presented on the Optacon. Scalogram analysis of the data supported the hypothesized order of the tasks. Tactual discriminations on the Optacon, considered separately, were not beyond the capabilities of most of the second grade children in the study. (Author/IM)