Illiteracy, the inability to communicate or receive information through the medium of print, has not been dealt with effectively by society, yet it is estimated that there are 23 million illiterate adults in America. Two major problems exist: diagnosing illiteracy, and attracting illiterate adults to adult literacy programs. With the development of more sophisticated diagnostic techniques and the use of radio and television public service announcements, these problems are being overcome. Tutoring programs organized around a core of volunteer tutors focus on the basics of learning to read, concentrating on three word group divisions: (1) words that follow a predictable sound pattern; (2) multisyllable words that can be broken down into smaller segments based on the first word group; and (3) difficult words which are frequently used and must be memorized. Tutoring should maximize oral language ability so that the student experiences early success and continues with the sessions. (A list of resources and organizations dealing with illiteracy is appended.) (MM)