It has been estimated that of the nearly two million immigrants who enter the United States every year, nearly half have limited access to citizenship, job training, other postsecondary education, and jobs due to low literacy levels, limited formal schooling, and limited English language skills. Adult education programs serving this population can…

Adult education services, including education for those lacking basic literacy and numeracy, preparation for the high school equivalency diploma, and English-as-a-second-language courses, play a crucial role in bridging the basic skills gap for Latinos and other workers with limited formal education and training. With recent policy and program…

This document contains a Congressional hearing on the scope of the problem of adult and juvenile illiteracy and programs that are attempting to meet the problem. Testimony includes statements, prepared statements, letters, and supplemental materials from individuals representing the Department of Education; National Institute of Education;…

This memo is designed to assist Wisconsin's Special Committee on Employment Disincentives in reviewing the issue of adult illiteracy. Section A provides information on the extent of illiteracy in the United States. Section B discusses selected literacy programs at the federal, state, and local levels. Results are provided of a study of federal…

Designed to assist the House Select Committee on Aging in determining how technology can be utilized to improve the quality of life for the older population both now and in the future, this hearing was convened for five specific reasons: (1) to identify applications of technology for the benefit of older persons and mechanisms for their…

Summarizes results of UNESCO's review of estimates and predictions of literacy in light of new data and revised methodology. Analyzes past trends in literacy, illiteracy rates, and prospects for future development. Suggests that the target year 2000 seems unrealistic for those most disadvantaged. Includes breakdowns for disparities by sex, age…

Following a literature review, this article analyzes the financial impact of credits for experiential learning on a major midwestern university. Both students and the institution appear to have benefited economically. Questions are raised concerning who should benefit from publicly supported education--students, society, or all three. Includes 28…

This checklist, revised by the Further Education Unit from an earlier effort, was developed through a review of 10 case studies in the East Midlands and Wales. It offers a series of pointers for all those involved in the education and training of unemployed adults, providing a framework for program design and delivery. The checklist includes an…

The Army's Basic Skills Education Program (BSEP) was studied to consider whether it was properly designed to determine the basic skills needed in Army jobs and to be effectively implemented. Information and reports on BSEP were reviewed, and three major commands were selected for evaluation. In designing the program, the Army did not identify the…

Approximately one-fourth of those involved in adult learning live in rural areas. A survey of programs serving rural adult learners reveals that no one educational provider or program seems best suited to provide services to rural communities. What successful providers have in common are programs which: (1) respond to a specific societal need, (2)…

In this report, the authors present the results of their analysis of who adult basic education (ABE) teachers are, how they approach their work, the challenges they face, and the concerns they have about their work. Using the teachers' own words as often as possible, this report describes teachers within their four roles, as: classroom teachers,…

Recent research on severely disabled students leaving schools in Northern Ireland is reviewed. Findings are discussed in terms of attitudes of students and their parents, professionals' attitudes toward school leaving arrangements, and the role of adult centers. Greater coordination between adult centers and schools is seen as vital to improved…

This guide provides an overview of strategies for gaining access to and using federal funds, as well as a catalog of 87 funding sources that can potentially support workforce development initiatives for adults and youth. It is intended to help program developers, policy makers, and initiative leaders identify federal funding sources to support…

Community education can be characterized as a flexible community process for addressing the community's educational needs; it is designed by local residents to meet local needs. This guide presents an overview of community education and offers some ideas for drafting and passing legislation for community education and beginning and carrying out…

The seven narrative reports featured in this publication detail the accomplishments, in seven key areas, of State Grant Programs (Titles I, II, and III) funded by the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA). These descriptions of state and local library activities, demonstrating how libraries are meeting a variety of users' needs, are: (1)…