The International Taskforce on Literacy, which is composed of nongovernmental organizations, has carried the literacy message to people everywhere. Two particularly noteworthy activities of the Taskforce are the People's Launch of International Literacy Year at the International Council for Adult Education conference in Thailand in January 1990 and the Book Launch. The theory, methodology, and practice of the literacy movement has evolved considerably and for the better over the past 2 decades. The first stage was the equating of nonformal education with literacy training in developing countries. The next stage, primarily in developing countries, involved an attempt to tie literacy and numeracy training to specific work situations to keep learners motivated. Problems that arose in this stage included the issue of empowerment and the language question, that is, teaching the native language or English. In a possible third stage, illiteracy was seen as a problem for the developed as well as developing countries. A new development emerged, a thrust to involve learners in assessing their own needs. This involvement would allow learners to participate in program planning, design, and implementation. One more stage in the literacy movement is the illiteracy that all share in a developing world. Even educated people are illiterate in many aspects of life, such as technology, health, human communications, social reform, or spirituality. (YLB)