A novel research method, the eye-movement-contingent release of speech method, was developed to examine the use and nature of the sound code in visual word recognition in reading. A new multi-modalities eye tracking system (“SEE”) was developed to implement the eye-movement-contingent release of speech method. The SEE system provides the experimenter synchronized orthogonal manipulations of visual and auditory signals, accurate measurement of oculomotor responses, post-hoc data replay facilities and statistical analysis tool.