Thirty-three deaf college students were tested on ability to read fingerspelled words and letters and computerspelled words and letters, 19 hearing students were tested on the latter task alone, and 12 Ss highly experienced in fingerspelling were tested on the former task alone. On the word task Ss were scored on percent of words correct, with incorrect responses analyzed to determine whether the word was omitted or mistaken. The letter task was scored on number of letters correct and in proper order, and on number correct in any order. Findings showed positive correlations between ability to read fingerspelled and computerspelled words (similar sequential tasks), and between ability to read words and identify letters. Deaf Ss were superior to hearing Ss in identifying words but inferior in identifying letters. For highly experienced Ss performance on a word task was nearly independent of word length. More letters were identified when Ss wrote letters as they were sent rather than waiting unti l all letters were sent. Number of letters reported increased as length of letter group increased, but only if order was not considered. Performance for high imagery words was better than for low imagery words. Performance on both word and letter tasks decreased as length and speed increased. (KW)