This case study examined how three white preservice teachers were similar and dissimilar in terms of their racial attitudes and beliefs, their prior interracial experiences, and certain personal characteristics. Participants had taken a multicultural education course and had been part of a larger study of teacher candidates' attitudes about diversity and the effects of multicultural education courses on those attitudes. The three students completed the Quick Discrimination Index (a racial attitude survey) and structured interviews about their backgrounds, prior experiences with diversity, and attitudes and beliefs about teaching certain racial groups. The students also completed interviews that examined their attitudes about the multicultural course and its impact. Results of the case study indicated that multicultural education courses may be most effective for students who already possess more favorable racial attitudes and for those who display a quality of openness and an ability to be self-reflective. The study showed that students' entering racial attitudes and beliefs served as filters through which they perceived the information being presented to them. (Contains 26 references.) (SM)