THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY THE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL SECONDARY SCHOOL INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAMS (ISPS). THE METHOD CHOSEN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS PURPOSE INVOLVED THREE STEPS--(1) THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS RECOMMENDED IN THE LITERATURE, (2) CASE STUDIES OF THREE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AND SIX LESS SUCCESSFUL ISPS, AND (3) COMPARISONS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS IDENTIFIED IN THE FIRST TWO STEPS. OF THE 18 MAJOR CONCLUSIONS PRESENTED, THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT OBJECTIVES ARE MORE FREQUENTLY DISCUSSED AND BETTER UNDERSTOOD IN SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAN THEY ARE IN LESS SUCCESSFUL ONES. (AUTHOR/RD)