In an investigation of the effectiveness of self-managed reading improvement programs, a program incorporating self-monitoring (observing and recording relevant activity), self-reinforcement (increasing the probability of some target behavior by the self-presentation of positive consequences or the removal of negative consequences), and shaping (setting intermediate goals and emphasizing gradual improvement) was administered to 204 undergraduate study skills students. There were two self-reinforcement conditions (performance and improvement contingent), a monitoring control condition, and a no treatment control group. The treatment lengths were six weeks and eight weeks. Analysis of pretest and posttest results indicated that the performance contingent self-reinforcement group showed an average reading rate increase of 35% and that students in all three experimental conditions showed significant improvement in reading rate over those in the control group. Comprehension was unaffected. There were no differences between males and females or between treatment lengths. The results seem to emphasize the importance of programs of reading improvement and to highlight differences in self-reinforcement strategies. (Author/GT)