IN THIS STUDY COMPARISONS WERE MADE BETWEEN AN INDIVIDUALLY PACED VERSION OF THE AIRBORNE RADIO CODE OPERATOR (ARCO) COURSE AND TWO VERSIONS OF THE COURSE IN WHICH THE STUDENTS PROGRESSED AT A FIXED PACE. THE ARCO COURSE IS A CLASS C SCHOOL IN WHICH THE STUDENT LEARNS TO SEND AND RECEIVE MILITARY MESSAGES USING THE INTERNATIONAL MORSE CODE. THE INDIVIDUAL PACING WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE USE OF PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION BOOKLETS AND AUDIO TAPES. ONE OF THE FIXED PACE VERSIONS WAS THE CONVENTIONAL COURSE IN WHICH THE PROGRAMED BOOKLETS WERE NOT USED. THE OTHER WAS A COURSE IN WHICH THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WERE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THOSE USED IN THE INDIVIDUALLY PACED VERSION. THE INDIVIDUALLY PACED COURSE REQUIRED 16 PERCENT LESS TIME THAN THE CONVENTIONAL COURSE AND NINE PERCENT LESS TIME THAN THE FIXED PACE COURSE IN WHICH THE PROGRAMED BOOKLETS WERE USED. THESE REDUCTIONS IN COURSE LENGTH WERE PURCHASED AT THE COST OF SMALL, UNRELIABLE LOSSES IN THE FINAL AVERAGE--1.44 AND .75 POINTS RESPECTIVELY. THERE WERE SOME INDICATIONS THAT THIS EVALUATION MIGHT HAVE PROVIDED A SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF THE GAINS THAT CAN BE REALIZED THROUGH THE USE OF INDIVIDUAL PACING. (THIS DOCUMENT, AD-661-859, IS AVAILABLE FROM THE CLEARINGHOUSE FOR FEDERAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION, SPRINGFIELD, VA. 22151. MICROFICHE $0.65. HARD COPY $3.00. 22 PAGES) (AUTHOR)