In an effort to determine differences between the reading scores of students taught by a traditional basal approach and a more structured direct instruction approach, 31 problem readers from two first grade classrooms in a low income Southeastern rural community were examined and tested over a year-long period. The two groups were found to be approximately equal in pretest measures prior to treatment. At the end of the treatment period, the experimental group, which used the SRA Reading Mastery Series, demonstrated significantly higher achievement scores compared with the students using the basal reading curriculum, with differences occurring in word-identification, word attack, and total reading. One major factor contributing to the higher scores appeared to be the direct instruction curriculum used, which required no background knowledge or entry skills, and utilized a synthetic phonics approach to break all skills into small steps to be practiced. The second factor was probably the training and supervision that teachers in the experimental group received. Based on the results of the study, several recommendations are given. (Tables of data showing posttest results are included.) (MM)