Because of the perception that the humanities lack practical application to real problems and issues of many adults, they tend to be neglected in adult and continuing education programs/courses. In reality, the humanities can offer insight into the ways people view and interpret life's events. Several major trends in continuing education suggest a…

The Adult Education for the Homeless (AEH) program was initiated with funds provided through the McKinney Act of 1987. During its first 4 years, the AEH program served over 100,000 homeless adults. In 1991, 34,000 adults participated in AEH programs in 31 states; nearly half were women. Approximately 60% of those served were between the ages of 25…

Adult illiteracy is a complex, costly, and growing social problem. Three common areas of controversy related to the problem are: (1) definitions of adult literacy, (2) characteristics of illiterate adults, and (3) the purposes of literacy education. Illiteracy can be understood only in relation to a culture's definition of literacy. Due to…

Although volunteer tutors traditionally have formed the basis of the programs of Laubach Literacy Action and Literacy Volunteers of America, volunteers have begun to play a greater role in adult literacy instruction provided through community-based organizations, correctional institutions, churches, and federally funded adult basic education.…

The Project for Adult College Education (PACE) is a general education core curriculum designed for working adults. PACE students receive approximately half the classroom hours in each subject area that they would in a traditional classroom. The balance of time is devoted to viewing course-related instructional television and participating in…

In 1966, Congress approved the first adult education act, and the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system was established. Monies to support adult education research and delivery systems became available at the same time as a mechanism was put in place to collect and disseminate results of these activities. The Adult Education Act…

The purpose of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) is to establish job training and employment assistance programs for economically disadvantaged youth and hard-to-hire, unskilled adults. Like the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), JTPA works through a locally based program delivery system. Unlike CETA, JTPA calls for equal…

This digest provides an overview of mental retardation in children and adults. It begins by discussing the definition of mental retardation and the three components that are required for an accurate diagnosis: an IQ score of approximately 70 or below, a determination of deficits in adaptive behavior, and origins of the disability prior to age 18.…

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 authorized a comprehensive workforce improvement program that will significantly impact rural areas. Local schools can help shape implementation of WIA because of its principles of local participation, increased skills for workers, and improved youth programs. This digest focuses on WIA's major elements,…

Correctional education is a generic term describing a wide range of educational activities that take place in institutional and community settings. In 1986, 37 states and the District of Columbia provided correctional education to incarcerated adults directly through state departments of corrections. In addition, several states have created…

Language problems are likely the strongest single barrier to success facing limited English proficient (LEP) immigrants to the United States. Therefore, instruction in English as a second language (ESL) for immigrants must be given a high priority. Vocational ESL (VESL) provides adult immigrants with English skills on an as-needed basis in…

Various researchers, including Carl Jung, Charlotte Buhler, Erik Erikson, and Robert Havighurst, have formulated sequential models of adult development. More recent investigators, such as Daniel Levinson, Roger Gould, and Gail Sheehy have formulated age-related sequential models of adult development that view the various stages of adulthood in…

Besides having to cope with the usual pressures associated with the transition to adulthood, dropouts must deal with the stigma attached to the fact that they are school dropouts. Research reveals that, for a variety of socioeconomic and psychological reasons, dropouts are generally less able to plan, less willing to work hard, and less skilled in…