Women in Nepal are empowered through adult functional literacy programs called Non Formal Education (NFE). The NFE classes are held six nights per week using discussion and group socialization processes that develop critical thinking and build self-esteem in a society in which women have few or no legal rights. In these programs, women gain…

A national forum was conducted in September 1997 to obtain the views of former and current students in adult literacy education programs about challenges they faced and ways to facilitate success for future students. The thoughts of 57 literacy delegates from 44 states were elicited on 4 topics: participants' hopes and expectations; accessibility…

The Monongalia County (West Virgina) Even Start Program begun in 1993 to address family literacy and to prepare children for entrance into school, consists of three interrelated approaches: adult education, parenting education, and early childhood education. In June 1996, the program was serving 62 families (mostly low-income) with an average of…

A panel of state staff, Professional Development Center directors, and other experts reviewed current or previous exemplary projects in Pennsylvania and in the U.S. and published project descriptions in a newsletter ("FOCUS" bulletin). Twenty-two special projects were selected as exemplary based on a five-point scale for innovation,…

Part of a much larger study of the JOBS (Job Opportunities and Basic Skills) program, profiles were developed of programs in four communities: San Diego (California); Brooklyn (New York); Philadelphia (Pennsylvania); and Tucson (Arizona), that served welfare clients in innovative and promising ways. The case studies were conducted through site…

The 1996-97 school year marked the third year of a 4-year grant from the Texas Education Agency's Division of Adult and Community Education for funding the ASPIRE/Even Start program operated by Communities In Schools-Central Texas Inc. (CIS). The broad purpose of Even Start is to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy in families by…

First-generation Distance Education (DE) was characterized by the use of a single technology (correspondence instruction) and lack of direct interaction between students and teachers. In second-generation DE, integrated multiple media permitted two-way communication between students and tutors, but not between students and the originators of…

This module, which may be used as the basis for a workshop or as a special topic unit in adult basic education or English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) courses, discusses rights and responsibilities as tenants, the rights and duties of landlords, and how to maintain a good working relationship with a landlord. Topics covered include the following:…

This module, which may be used as the basis for a workshop or as a special topic unit in adult basic education or English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) courses, addresses how to file and pay federal income taxes. Topics covered include the following: defining tax-related vocabulary; analyzing tax credits and selecting the most appropriate ones;…

This document presents synthesized estimates of the rates of level 1 literacy by congressional district in the 50 states and District of Columbia. The estimates are extrapolations of the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) that were based on the findings of approximately 26,000 interviews. The document begins with an introduction containing the…

This document contains the following full and short papers on lifelong learning from ICCE/ICCAI 2000 (International Conference on Computers in Education/International Conference on Computer-Assisted Instruction): (1) "A Study on the School Information Technology Pilot Scheme: Possibilities of Creative and Lifelong Learning" (Siu-Cheung Kong,…

This document summarizes the research papers and panel discussions submitted or presented for a conference on planning and management of literacy and continuing education. The conference participants shared findings and important features in the planning and management of literacy and continuing education among participating countries, imparted…

This newsletter contains nine articles covering the topic of technology and adult learning and exploring what has been achieved in the six years since the Office of Technology Assessment conducted a study on adult literacy and new technologies. Included are (1): "Technology and Adult Learning: A Collection of Current Perspectives" (Office of…

A study examined whether there was a lack of women's literacy materials and whether this was a shared concern among literacy workers. A questionnaire mailed to organizations most interested in literacy issues and how they pertain specifically to women included these four sections: site specifics, specific questions on reading/resource materials,…

The Lycoming County Literacy Project based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, examined both traditional and family literacy General Educational Development (GED) program participants to determine which programs produce the best results. GED test scores were collected from instructors teaching both traditional and family literacy GED participants. Test…