Students enrolled in six developmental reading classes offered during a 16-week semester or a 6-week summer session at El Camino College (California) were pre-tested with the California Phonics Survey (form 1) to determine their phonic abilities. Students enrolled in eight concurrent developmental writing classes were similarly tested. Those from both groups showing phonic disabilities were utilized as experimental (n=106) and control (n=113) groups to test whether the "typical" community college developmental reading course, which does not pay special attention to phonic skills, is effective in remediating such deficiencies. Post-tests with form 2 of the instrument showed that both groups made small but significant gains, with the experimental group achieving only slightly higher gains. Sex, instructional time of day (day/evening), and duration of course (semester/summer session) were not significant influences, but pre-test scores were highly predictive of course withdrawal. It was concluded that students completing a typical developmental reading course do not receive treatment that significantly reduces their phonic disabilities and that students who are grossly disabled are not likely to survive such a course. (LH)