Traditionally, student assessment has focused on measuring learner skills. Assessment of literacy needs, from the learner's perspective, is also an important part of an instructional program. This digest focuses on ways to determine what learners want or believe they need to learn. Many of the activities described can include or lead to assessment of proficiencies, and many of the sources cited include both types of assessment. Specific attention is focused on the definition of a needs assessment, the importance of a needs assessment, and assessment tools. In addition, a needs assessment conducted in one adult literacy program, the Adult Literacy Evaluation Project in Philadelphia (PA), is summarized. (VWL) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education)