Human survival means more than purely physical survival. Human beings, because of language, also have a cultural nature that must survive. In today's world, all speak, but more than one-fourth of the world's people--and more than half in developing nations--do not have the uniquely human capacity of reading and writing. The diffusion of literacy…

Addressed to politicians and policy makers who allocate resources among competing programs of education and extension, practitioners who make day-to-day program decisions, and the scholarly community, this document on trends and issues in adult education around the globe consists of 14 chapters, each with notes and references. The purpose,…