PBS show tries race relations.

The public television children's series "Sesame Street" is airing a "race relations curriculum" aimed at introducing viewers to various cultural backgrounds. The new approach, which has already enjoyed one successful season on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), shows positive interaction between racial groups while focusing on similarities and appreciation of racial and cultural differences.

"'Sesame Street' has always promoted racial harmony, but after 22 years we felt we could do more about helping children celebrate differences," says Dr. Valeria Lovelace, assistant vice president of "Sesame Street" research.

Over a four-year period that began in November 1990, the program, produced by the New York City-based Children's Television Workshop, will focus on contributions of African-Americans, Native Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans.

"Last year, when the series emphasized African-Americans, one of our goals was for viewers to understand that people who look different or have a different language or culture can be good friends," says the show's executive producer Dulcy Singer. Singer says this season, which will focus on four American Indian nations, hopes to show its estimated 12.8 million weekly viewers that people with different skin color, hair texture or eye shape can become good friends.

The new programming has gotten positive reviews. "This curriculum is just terrific," says Peggy Charren, president of the Cambridge, Mass.-based Action for Children's Television. "It shows that color and appearance should become secondary. It shows that everybody is a person. . . . It's important to focus on heritage and culture."