The Direct Instructional System for Teaching Arithmetic and Reading (DISTAR) was developed to provide beginning and remedial instruction to disadvantaged children in preschool and the primary grades. The method places heavy emphasis on structure, programmed learning, drill, and repetition. To determine teachers' opinions of the DISTAR reading program, a questionnaire was administered to Chicago public school teachers who used DISTAR. The teacher sample consisted of 105 randomly chosen primary teachers from 11 inner-city elementary schools located in predominantly black communities. This report summarizes the results of the survey and lists recommendations made by teachers for improvement of the effectiveness of the DISTAR program. The report notes that the majority of teachers had a positive opinion of DISTAR. They thought that the program was effective with most children, particularly with slow learners, and they found that pupils liked the program. However, teachers thought that DISTAR was not effective with all children, and a majority of teachers had modified the materials and presentation of the program to meet the needs of their own individual situations. (GW)