In the first phase of a longitudinal study to gather information on quality-of-life outcomes of adult basic education (ABE) programs in Tennessee, adults entering literacy programs at eight sites in rural and urban Tennessee were interviewed using a baseline questionnaire covering socioeconomic, social, personal, and physical well-being. One year later, 133 literacy program participants were interviewed at eight ABE sites across Tennessee. The interviewees ranged in age from 17 to 72 with an average age of 34 years. More than half were women, more than half were black, and only a few had graduated from high school. Only one-third of the participants were employed when interviewed, and nearly all participants who were employed were in low- and semiskilled jobs paying approximately $6 per hour. Participants' self-esteem levels ranged from low to high and were connected with aspects of their lives other than low literacy (i.e., employment, marriage/gender, and personal and community satisfaction). Most participants with children seemed fairly involved in their children's schooling. For a substantial minority of participants, health problems were a major barrier to pursuing goals, including persistence in ABE. (Appended are the following: 26-item bibliography, 10 tables summarizing demographic and outcomes data, survey instrument, and glossary.) (MN)