An overall view of the Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.) and its use with various groups of people are presented. The first part contains five addresses in which the historical background for i.t.a. is reviewed and insight into the man who invented it is given. Part 2 presents research reports of prefirst-grade and first-grade beginning reading with normal children. Included in Part 3, Special Groups, are reports of instruction with the disadvantaged child, the exceptional child, the remedial reader (both children and adults), and those who speak English as a second language. In Part 4, Methods and Measures, teaching methods are discussed as well as the problem of transition from i.t.a. to traditional orthography, the effect of i.t.a. on children's independent and creative writing, and administrative problems which are concerned with initiating i.t.a. in school districts and carrying on research designed to investigate its effectiveness. As the first part began with the history of i.t.a., the last section ends with a discussion of its future. Hope is expressed that educators will not disregard the opportunities that are offered by i.t.a. Tables and references are included. (DH)