This report summarizes the major literature dealing with the following major issues in adult basic education (ABE): target and demand populations (size, characteristics, and subgroups of the ABE population and the decline in participation); services provided (the purpose of the Adult Education Act, objectives and goals of ABE, problems of recruitment and retention, ABE instruction, counseling services, diagnosis of abilities, methods of credentialing); organization for delivery of services (staff characteristics; use of aides, paraprofessionals, and volunteers; staff training; program location and facilities; coordination of services; evaluation, monitoring, and reporting; and program innovation and improvement); and finance of ABE (lack of commitment; use of limited resources; alternative methods of support; and Federal, state, local, and participant roles). Also provided is a 360-item annotated bibliography of works dealing with the following topics: administration/staffing, ABE, adult competency/adult performance level, aging, information sources, characteristics and disabilities of adult learners, dissemination, evaluation, finance, future issues, government role, history, innovation, instruction and curriculum, international concerns, library programs, lifelong learning, media, philosophy, program planning, literacy, recruitment/retention, research, teacher training, and vocational/occupational training. (MN)