The prevalence of underprepared students attending colleges, the need to define literacy requirements of courses, the implications of research on literacy in the design of remedial programs, and the need for systematic evaluation of such programs are considered. Literacy is broadly defined as a language competence that is used to achieve both individual and societal goals. Literacy has a functional dimension, involving the specific competencies required to perform in the occupational field for which an academic program prepared students, and a symbolic dimension, which is associated with having knowledge, cognitive competence, and values established in society. It is proposed that policies involving issues of literacy and its development are adequate only when all components of its definition are considered: (1) the nature of the language involved; (2) the way the language is processed; (3) the context in which the language is processed for use; and (4) the functions of this use in relation to specified goals. Despite the use of a variety of terms and the lack of clearly defined purposes, the emphasis of most efforts described in the literature seems to include preparing the students for regular college work. Some are comprehensive programs incorporating specific literacy skills like reading and writing and objectives like improved self-concept, while others focus on one specific skill such as the development of basic arithmetic skills. Attention is directed to teaching methods, institutions' support for organization of developmental programs, and common practices and problems in the evaluation of developmental programs. A bibliography is appended. (SW)