A project sought to determine if reluctant learners, about 30 percent of the adult basic education (ABE) population, can be retained in ABE classes through accommodations in the program structure and more effective teacher/counselor intervention. The project was based on earlier research findings that most ABE learners who drop out do so in the first 3 weeks and that often dropout is for attitudinal rather than situational factors. Four groups of five ABE students were selected and treated in one of four ways: a control group, a team approach, a small group approach, and a one-on-one approach. Learning style differences were also explored. The study found that the small group approach worked best. It also found that reluctant learners tend to be highly field dependent in their learning style. From the project, a testing/counseling intake program to identify ABE reluctant learners was developed; program referral guidelines for intake staff for reluctant learners were provided; and recommendations for teaching reluctant learners were written, forming the basis for learning style teaching techniques for reluctant learners. (Contains 18 references.) (KC)