A study was undertaken to test the assumption that students will interact with illustrations in textbooks, workbooks, and programed units; and that this interaction will facilitate learning. Eight test groups were compared with a group that had only verbal symbols to learn from. These groups had, in addition to the verbal descriptions, the black and white of color versions of abstract line representations, drawings (detailed and shaded), heart model photographs, and realistic photographs. Five criterion measures were used to test the relative learning under the different conditions. The visually-aided programed material was not found to be significantly superior to the control group material consisting solely of verbal symbols. It was concluded that students do not know how to learn from drawings and photographs, that a continuum of visual illustrations extending from line drawing to the object itself is not an effective predictor of learning, that color can aid some student achievement, and that, in general, students given the abstract line illustrations took longer to complete their instructional units. (RP)