To determine the effect of training in reciprocal teaching on collaborative learning, a study of six middle school remedial reading classes was undertaken. Reciprocal teaching is a method in which the teacher participates both as a leader and as respondent. Before the experiment began, the teachers were trained for a day in reciprocal teaching and introduced to principles of collaborative learning, such as the joint role of student and teacher in acquiring comprehension strategies, the role of teacher modeling, and the importance of allowing students to lead discussions. Participants were 63 experimental and 66 control students. After pretesting, the teachers in the experimental classes introduced collaborative learning, and four reading comprehension strategies. Twenty days of reciprocal teaching followed, with each teacher implementing new stages in the process at the same time. Control groups used traditional basal reading instruction. During a 5-day maintenance phase, subjects completed daily assessment measures, after which students in both groups completed summarization and questioning transfer measures as a posttest. Three of the teachers were more comfortable with reciprocal teaching than the others, although assistance from leaders helped all six groups receive the same quality of instruction. Results revealed a significant improvement in experimental students' accuracy with recall and interpretation of material they read independently. Experimental subjects scored significantly higher on the posttests as well. It is also important that the students enjoyed collaborative learning, made gains in metacognition, and exhibited few behavior problems in the unstructured setting. (References and four tables of data are appended.) (SKC)