In 2002-03, a qualitative study examined the experiences of 70 stakeholders connected to two community-based adult literacy programs in Manitoba, Canada. Self-directed learning was one of several elements that these research participants considered essential to the learning process. These literacy stakeholders defined self-directed learning as a combination of factors related to giving learners choices over what, how, and when to learn. They saw self-selected subject areas, assignment topics, learning pace, and attendance schedules as means to nurture self-direction by adult literacy students and other adult learners. This article uses these research participants' understandings of self-directed learning as a foundation for making conclusions and recommendations that should be of interest to readers associated with literacy programs and other adult education settings.