INJURY TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM CAN RESULT IN DEFECTS OF FIGURE FORMATION SUCH AS LACK OF PRECISION OF FIGURE AND UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHICH IS FIGURE AND WHICH IS GROUND. IMPAIRMENT OF FIGURE GROUND PROCESSES MAY BE LIMITED TO ONE AREA OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTION. DISTURBANCE IN FIGURE FORMATION MAY NOT RESULT IN PERCEPTION DISTURBANCES, DEPENDING ON THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE INJURY. FOR EDUCATIONAL USEFULNESS, A CATEGORIZATION OF SOME OF THE FIGURE-GROUND CHARACTERISTICS AND POSSIBLE DEFECTS ARISING FROM NERVOUS IMPAIRMENT IS NEEDED. THIS LISTING COULD INCLUDE DIFFERENTIATION OF INTERSECTING FIGURES, PERCEPTION OF A COMPEX FIGURE AS A WHOLE, ABILITY TO WITHSTAND DISTRACTION BY OTHER STIMULI, AND INSTABILITY OF FIGURE. THOUGH THESE CATEGORIES ARE RELATED, THEY MAY BE INDEPENDENT. TWO TYPES OF REMEDIAL TECHNIQUES ARE AVAILABLE--(1) CIRCUMVENTION OF THE PROBLEM, AND (2) DIRECT IMPROVEMENT OF THE PERCEPTUAL ABILITY. REMEDIATION OF A PERCEPTUAL DISORDER MAY NOT RESULT IN ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT. NINE REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (BOSTON, APRIL 24-27, 1968). (WL)