Reactions to the papers read at the Pittsburgh conference on the theory and practice of beginning reading (April 1976) are provided in this document, with particular attention to the way that the content of those papers relates to compensatory education issues. The problem areas under which the discussion is organized are as follows: the search for adequate theories of reading and reading dysfunction, understanding reading as a developmental process, the social context of reading instruction, and individual learning characteristics. A transcript of audience discussion that followed the paper is attached. (RL)