This document is a summary of presentations and strategies offered at the 1986 National Invitational Conference on Rural Adult Postsecondary Education. The conference, organized by the Action Agenda Project and co-sponsored by the National University Continuing Education Association, explored the educational needs of rural adults and designed strategies to support rural educational efforts. The summary includes mention of economic development projects undertaken by Native Americans who are concerned about the devaluation of their culture by current educational systems. Presentations advocated linking rural education and local economic development more closely, and included several examples of such links. Conference presenters suggested that specific programs are best proposed and developed by rural communities themselves. An "Agenda for Future Work" includes a list of priorities for responding to rural educational needs, empowering rural learners, and promoting change. Executive summaries of three papers presented at the conference, lists of staff, participating organizations, other publications, and a call to establish a national clearinghouse to support improvement in adult education in rural areas are included in the proceedings. (TES)