Subjects were 102 University of Alabama students enrolled in 2 criminal law classes who were randomly assigned to a lecture or independent study group. Subjects were administered an attitudinal measure adapted from 'The Mentally Retarded Offender and the Criminal Justice System' and a researcher-designed knowledge measure pretest and 1 week later following administration of the intervention. T-tests and post hoc analyses were used to examine mean differences between groups. Results indicate that instructional method did not produce significant intergroup differences in mean gains in knowledge or attitudes toward mental retardation and the mentally retarded offender. There were, however, significant differences between pre- and posttest means in knowledge and attitudes for both groups. Results show that the instructional methods were equally effective in increasing students' knowledge and in producing more positive attitudes toward mental retardation and the mentally retarded offender. 19 references. (Author abstract modified)