Establishing behavioral objectives for an adult basic education (ABE) program helps to accomplish individual assessment of a learner's abilities and deficiencies. The heart of an individually prescribed instructional system is the use of instruction materials or software. Many programmed instructional materials are available, and it is the responsibility of the administrator of adult educational programs to keep abreast of current materials. Hardware such as visual aids, tape recorders, and tachtiscopes may be used extensively for adult basic education, especially in reading programs. The integration of hardware and software into an ABE system, and the relations of materials and equipment and their consequences, call for contingency management techniques. The use of contingency or performance contracts is widely used in ABE. ABE instructors need to teach work and vocational programs as well as basic educational skills, especially in prisons. (RS)