A study was conducted to compare the relative effectiveness of interactive video (IV) and linear video (LV) as delivery modes for the acquisition of basic photography skills in an independent learning environment at the college level. It was postulated that a self-instructional, self-paced approach would be beneficial because of the wide diversity of photography skills and experience typically possessed by the students in the population. Using students enrolled in a teacher education program, participants were randomly assigned to either a control (N=64) or experimental (N=64) group and given a pretest covering key concepts incorporated in the videotapes. The control group was instructed via LV and the experimental group via IV. Students were given an alternative form of the same test (posttest) immediately following the treatment; in addition, an attitude test was administered which measured such items as rate of instruction, frustration level, technical problems, and motivation. Analysis of covariance was used to compare achievement of the control group with that of the experimental group. Results indicate that the IV group recorded significantly and consistently larger achievement gains than did the LV group. Students also preferred the interactive video approach over traditional instruction. A list of references completes the document. (JB)