The increasing emphasis on work force development as a policy goal is bringing to the forefront a continuing debate over which of two roads--work force education or literacy development--the field of adult education should take. The recent shift in the welfare reform policy from emphasis on investing in basic and job skills to emphasis on quick…

The numbers of women with low literacy levels, the increased labor force participation of women, and increasing literacy requirements on the job make the case for the inclusion of a literacy component in employment programs for women. Such programs should strive to be comprehensive, learner-centered, flexible, standards-based, and linked to…

Because of the changing nature of work in society, higher levels of basic skills in reading, writing, and computation are needed in all occupational areas, whether or not they are related to high technology. Although research on the relationship between job performance and basic skills is not definitive, it is clear that it is more important for…