This Pennsylvania study investigated whether functionally illiterate adults in a face-to-face adult basic education (ABE) program using instructional television (ITV) show greater achievement gains than those in similar programs without ITV. Achievement data were drawn from raw scores on Level I, Form A (pretest), and Level I, Form B, (posttest), of the Adult Basic Learning Exam. Personal data came from permanent records of participants in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Hazleton, and Scranton, (Pennsylvania). Data on achievement in auditory vocabulary, reading comprehension, and spelling were analyzed to determine significant differences (if any) by age, sex, marital status, national origin, or education in country of national origin. Adult dropout data were also examined to determine if use of ITV affected the dropout rate, and whether dropouts differ significantly from persisters in terms of sex, marital status, or age. No significant differences in achievement gain emerged between the control group and the ITV group. However, younger adult illiterates made greater gains than their older classmates, and those better educated (above grade 8) in their native countries made greater gains in spelling than those who were illiterate. Age (older adults) was the only significant dropout characteristic uncovered. (Author/LY)