To assess different methods of preparation for the General Educational Development (GED) examination in rural and urban sites, a study was designed to compare three different types of delivery systems: (1) a support program alone without educational television (ETV); (2) ETV alone; and (3) ETV plus a personal contact, supplemental training support program. Two added conditions were (4) utilization of Kentucky Educational Television/GED Skills Packets in individualization of the system and (5) a group of students attempting the GED test without any known formal preparation. The population consisted of 303 persons preparing for the GED over a three year period. Delivery systems were compared in terms of the demographic characteristics of the students involved with each, and in terms of individual student academic skills gain measured by pre- and post-testing of basic skills and/or GED attainment. At the time of data analysis eighty-seven persons (28.7%) had attempted the GED and 91% were successful. Practical significance of the results of the analysis of variance of gain scores between students is that there is not much difference among the different support conditions, with or without ETV. It was concluded that ETV teaches as well as any other instructional method, that successful delivery of adult education and student achievement are dependent more on the nature of the client than upon the teaching/learning system, and that the greatest need in adult education calls for differentiation--varying procedures and response to varying needs. (Included are a literature review on previous efforts and research into uses of TV for GED preparation, description of the ETV program development, and complete data tables and analysis.) (JT)