Recent developments and problems in the eradication of illiteracy in Asia and Oceania are reviewed in this conference report. Literacy is a critical issue because more than half of the region's population is illiterate, and social and economic development cannot progress when the literacy rate is so low. In an effort to improve the situation, most of the region's countries are implementing national literacy programs instead of small pilot programs. In order to motivate learner interest, program content is related to local issues and instruction is available in the mother tongue even when it is not the national language. Follow-up activities are provided to ensure that learners will continue to use their literacy skills. Training of instructors emphasizes use of all possible human resources from the community: these include community leaders, classroom teachers, and development agents. There is a critical need for useful research in areas such as learner motivation, structural complexity of certain languages, and effectiveness of introducing literacy programs at different stages in a country's development. Recommendations for the future success of literacy programs include national planning mechanisms, cooperative research projects, and development of a network of national centers for research and training. (AV)