Part of a large study in Tanzania, a study provides a broad context of obstacles to literacy, particularly those affecting migratory subpopulation groups. Subjects, 480 adults who participated in national literacy programs and belonged to one of two communities of the Maasai, were interviewed. The first group--the Maasai of Longido--represent a…

An existing 353 project that used professional staff as distance education contact persons for students in General Educational Development (GED) programs in rural areas was modified so that volunteer instructional aides (IAs) could serve as contact persons for GED students choosing the program's home study option. A home study packet to be used in…

Four community colleges in North Carolina cooperated to provide workplace literacy education to employees of eight plants in the state. The target population for the program was 710 adults who had not completed high school or who were functioning below high school level who were employed at one of the industry sites. The Comprehensive Adult…

A project was conducted to improve the productivity and efficiency of 10 manufacturers by providing workplace literacy instruction to workers lacking basic skills required for their jobs, and to improve the capability of educational programs to meet the basic skill needs of the manufacturing industry by developing an evaluation manual for basic…

A discussion of literacy in bilingual and multilingual communities, particularly those with heavy concentrations of limited-English-proficient individuals, focuses on the role of the family in literacy education efforts. First, the diversity of such communities is examined, noting that linguistic/cultural, educational, rural/urban, and religious…

Although the goal of universal literacy in the United States refers specifically to the literacy of adults, significant progress toward the goal is dependent to a great extent upon educational experiences prior to adulthood. Encouraging business involvement in strengthening the connection between school and work acknowledges the interrelationship…

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labor (SFL) conducted a Workers' Education for Skills Training, or WEST Program, to upgrade its membership's basic literacy skills. The purpose of the WEST Program was to develop, ensure access to, and build support for a workplace literacy program designed to meet the diverse needs of affiliates' members. Six…

"Lead Kindly Light" was an extensive campaign for the total eradication of illiteracy within 1 year in the Ernakulam District of India. A major sponsor was Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP), the Science and Education Center of Kerala; responsibility for the project was later handed over to the National Literacy Mission (NLM). The…

An approach based on sociolinguistic theory is reported that was devised to describe the way written language operates in the different domains that make up the everyday lives of a given group of people. The approach involves the practices that the people use to deal with written language, and the perceptions (uses, beliefs, attitudes) they have…

A study was conducted to analyze the impact of employee illiteracy on Canadian businesses. The opinions of 626 vice presidents of human resources or general managers were collected in a random sample of 2,000 Canadian establishments with more than 50 employees and 300 head offices of larger firms (25 percent return). The information was…

Four adult education programs serving homeless persons in Wisconsin were evaluated. Data were gathered through site visits, a review of program documents, and a survey of 43 homeless individuals served by the programs (7 percent of the total population served). Participants expressed very positive feelings about the programs. Many reported that…

This booklet provides an overview of some projects and initiatives funded by the National Literacy Program in Canada in 1989-90. Many have been supported as well by the provinces and territories, community organizations, business, or labor organizations. The booklet also contains a sample of the activities of other federal departments and agencies…

This guide examines organized labor's views on adult literacy. It also describes several union-sponsored workplace education programs and suggests how a union can plan and operate a worker-centered literacy program. The book is organized in three parts. The first part examines workplace literacy in four chapters that cover the following: the…

Computer-assisted learning (CAL) can be used for adults functioning at any academic or grade level. In adult basic education (ABE), CAL can promote greater learning effectiveness and faster progress, concurrent learning and experience with computer literacy skills, privacy, and motivation. Adults who face barriers (financial, geographic, personal,…

This research study provides an extensive compilation of information sources on the topic of family literacy for library professionals and other literacy providers. This paper includes the following main sections: (1) combined literature review and annotated bibliography; (2) survey results; and (3) family literacy program descriptions. The first…