In working with a disadvantaged population, such as the young adult prisoners at Draper Correctional Center, one of the first considerations in motivating them to acquire academic skills is to aid them in establishing reasonable and attainable education goals. After a meaningful goal has been accepted, the learner's specific deficiencies must be established; then remedial work must be prescribed on an individual basis. Materials must be specifically related to vocational need, which should be determined through a task analysis. Prompt and frequent feedback, such as provided in programed instruction, is an essential motivational device. A study of contingency management (proper management of reinforcers) in which a written performance contract was used showed that students had completed nearly twice as many frames in half the time and, although there was no change in pass/fail, they took more tests. (eb)