A study identified the characteristics of women in an adult literacy program who had been successful in their return to studies. It was designed to learn more about the needs of women learners and what literacy programs can do to help women be successful in their return to studies. The literature review focused on these topics: women's knowledge, self-empowerment, consciousness raising, social reproduction, and difficulties women have in their return to schools. Participants were three women enrolled in a community-based adult literacy program in Akron, Ohio. Research activities included the following: observation while each woman participated in different types of settings and interactions; observation of activities around the program; interviews of each learner twice for an hour each time; and interviews of program staff. These themes were evident in all three women's testimonies: (1) women who successfully return to schools had very strong support systems; (2) they found the program staff helpful, caring, and nurturing; (3) all had become advocates for literacy in their communities; (4) all experienced a period when they were ashamed to tell anyone close to them about their reading problems; (5) all experienced an awakening in which they felt that they had to do something about their problem; (6) all moved through several distinct stages of growth; (7) all had entered first grade with problems; and (8) all felt a sense of lost time from being in the world and not being able to read. (Contains 11 references.) (YLB)