IN THIS STUDY, THE THIRD IN A SERIES EVALUATING PROGRAMED AND CONVENTIONAL INSTRUCTION IN THE SCHOOLS OF THE NAVAL AIR TECHNICAL TRAINING COMMAND, A COMPARISON WAS MADE BETWEEN TWO VERSIONS OF THE AIRBORNE RADIO CODE OPERATOR (ARCO) COURSE. IN THE CONVENTIONAL VERSION, MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS PROCEDURES WERE TAUGHT BY MEANS OF LECTURE DISCUSSION SESSIONS. IN THE OTHER VERSION, THIS SAME MATERIAL WAS TAUGHT BY MEANS OF PROGRAMED BOOKLETS. THE STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM VERSION REQUIRED A TOTAL OF 14.5 HOURS TO COVER THE MATERIAL, AS OPPOSED TO A TOTAL OF 30 HOURS FOR THE LECTURE DISCUSSION SESSIONS. THIS AFFORDED A SAVINGS OF BETTER THAN 50 PERCENT OVER THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE COURSE AND A SAVINGS OF TWO DAYS IN THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE COURSE. MASTERY OF THE MATERIALS WAS MEASURED BY TWO SPECIAL TESTS. ON THE MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST, THE CONVENTIONAL GROUP WAS FOUND TO BE SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN THE PROGRAM GROUP. ON THE SHORT ANSWER TEST, THE PROGRAM GROUP WAS FOUND TO BE SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN THE CONVENTIONAL GROUP. THE DIFFERENCE FAVORING THE PROGRAM GROUP WAS SOMEWHAT LARGER THAN THAT FAVORING THE OTHER GROUP. (THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES SEVEN TABLES.) THIS DOCUMENT, AD-656-894, IS AVAILABLE FROM THE CLEARINGHOUSE FOR FEDERAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION, SPRINGFIELD, VA., 22151, MICROFICHE $0.65, HARDCOPY $3.00. (AUTHOR/LY)