Learners' motivations for participating in adult basic education (ABE) are important; determining their needs is crucial to evaluating programs to see if their needs are being met and is also important in determining instructional content and methods. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 323 randomly selected ABE students in Iowa. During the interviews, students were asked to rate the personal applicability of 62 motivational statements derived from earlier interviews with ABE students. Ratings were subjected to factor analysis, and the following 10 distinct motivational factors were identified: educational advancement, self-improvement, literacy development, community and church involvement, economic need, family responsibilities, diversions (or enrichment), job advancement, launching a new life, and urging of others. The research concluded that there is no single, typical ABE student and that ABE needs to meet the needs of this diverse group. (KC)