Investigated was the ability of 18 blind and 18 partially sighted students in grades 4 through 12 to use the Aural Study System, which features unique indexing capabilities for searching recorded reference materials, to locate encyclopedia and dictionary items within practical time limits. Analyses were made of the time required to locate items, the accuracy with which items were located, and the accuracy of responses to questions about the items using both recorded and written (braille and large type) forms of the reference materials. Results indicated few differences of practical significance between Ss' efficient use of recorded references and of their braille and large type counterparts, leading to the conclusion that further development of the Aural Study System as a reference tool is justified. Other factors, such as lower cost and vast reduction of required storage space, strongly support developing recorded references. (LH)