The study investigated the effectiveness of an ecological inventory and screen writing for the acquisition of reading words for secondary-aged moderately mentally handicapped students. The study utilized an ecological inventory model which is an adult-referenced curriculum based on adult tasks and local resources and environments, rather than on the developmental stages of childhood. Parents and caretakers were interviewed and a list of food words to be taught with screen writing reinforced by direct experience was assembled. Screen writing on a textured surface, involving visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic input, was used for instruction with 11 subjects, aged 14 to 20. Results indicated that screen writing and field experiences yielded higher word recognition gains than traditional (flash card) methods of auditory/visual presentation of the word(s) combined with field experiences. (Author/DB)