Study objectives were to find out whether the use of disadvantaged women as parent educators of indigent mothers of infants and young children (1) enhanced the development of the infants and children, (2) increased the mother's competence and sense of personal worth, and (3) contributed to the knowledge of the home life of infants in the study. In weekly home visits, parent educators taught a series of exercises that stimulated infants' perceptual, motor, and verbal activities. Maternal verbal cues elicited the sequential arrangement of tasks. Variables were type, content, length, timing, and presence of instruction. A total of 124 babies (3 months - 2 years) were observed and tested. Except for a control group of 27, all infants received stimulation for at least 9 months. Study findings were that (1) paraprofessionals can be used to teach mothers, (2) a parent education program should be part of a comprehensive system of social change, (3) concrete, specific stimulation exercises are a sound curriculum approach, (4) how a child is taught may be more important than what he is taught, and (5) standardized techniques for measuring learning and development are needed. (DR)