This study sought to determine if a perceptual development program would contribute more to improvement in reading than a supplementary reading program and if such a program was more beneficial for below grade level readers than for above grade level readers--defined as those students who scored one or more months below or above grade level on the reading section of the California Achievement Test (CAT). Fifty-four second grade students, half scoring below and half above grade level, were randomly assigned to a perceptual development group, a supplementary reading group, or a control group which engaged in gross motor activities. The perceptual development program consisted of suspended ball, balance beam, bean bag, chalkboard, peg board, and basic body movement activities. The supplementary reading program was the Science Research Associates Reading Lab Ia. An analysis of the pretest and posttest scores on the CAT indicated that (1) neither the perceptual development program nor the supplementary reading program was more effective than the control program for the improvement of reading achievement; (2) reading achievement level is not related to the effectiveness of either program; and (3) no long range effects occur as a result of either program. (Author/TO)