In compressed speech listening tests, performance was not significantly affected by listening aids presented during training. The aids consisted of a summary of the material to be heard and a list of key words in the material to be heard; the summary was presented to one group and the list of key words to another group. A third group did not receive a listening aid. All groups improved with practice in their ability to listen to compressed speech at 375 wpm, achieving a final mean score which averaged better than 90% of normal speed score. An examination of the data indicates that good listeners tend to be generally able and well informed, but that at higher speeds general language ability is increasingly important. The evidence also suggests that good performance at higher speed is associated with listening for meaning rather than concentration on specific words and details. The failure of the listening aids to improve performance may be attributable to their focusing attention on aspects of the passage which were irrelevant to the test questions. Subsequent research is planned. (MF)