The 2 year project (July 1, 1978 through June 30, 1980) sought to determine the viability, attractiveness, and effectiveness of computer based instruction with approximately 225 severely and profoundly mentally handicapped and developmentally disabled institutionalized children and adults. Over 100 instructional formats were developed by staff from the PLATO Education Group of the Computer-based Education Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Skills addressed included basic language and math skills important to academic instruction. A direct instruction model was used for designing the computer based lessons. The means of delivering this instruction was the PLATO system, a sophisticated computer based instructional system utilizing a versatile graphics and touch sensitive terminal. The research suggested that carefully designed PLATO materials could provide effective and efficient instructional services not currently offered by other media. (Author)