Recent findings on the brain's anatomy suggest that there are modality
-specific resources for the processing of language. This article devel
ops a theoretical model on the behavioral consequences of modality-spe
cific resources for spoken and written information. The model predicts
antagonistic effects of reduced interference versus reduced integrati
on of verbal information presented across the two modalities, as compa
red to within a single modality. Three experiments compare unimodal to
multimedia messages containing either a mix of modalities or informat
ion presented bimodally. The results provide qualified support far the
model in the realm of item-specific Versus relational memory and elab
oration. Compared to unimodal presentations, alternating the presentat
ion modality decreases relational processing but can increase item-spe
cific processing. Furthermore, a simultaneous bimodal presentation for
mat increases recognition memory but does not appear to affect relatio
nal processing or item-specific elaboration.