Three teams of teachers and administrators from three adult basic education programs in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia participated in a 2-year action research project that focused on developing approaches that local programs can use to document the outcomes of student participation in adult education programs. Facilitators helped the teams build on a series of research activities through a cycle of planning, implementation, and evaluation. Key findings were as follows: (1) local programs can develop documentation processes useful for planning and assessing their work; (2) action research is effective for professional and program development in adult education; (3) action research is a tool to help students set and monitor goals; (4) outcomes-focused action research can enhance processes for improving program quality; and (5) action research can support and enhance performance accountability, but more work is needed at the state, local, and national levels. The following were among the study's implications: (1) teachers should be paid for involvement in action research; (2) states should use participatory processes to build consensus on performance accountability goals; (3) state and federal resources are needed to design flexible yet rigorous outcomes measurement and reporting systems; and (4) action research should be evaluated as a tool to further learning persistence. (MN)