This project was an exploratory study on the issues of nonparticipation and program attrition in ABE literacy programs in the province of British Columbia. The lack of substantive research on the issues in the province and the short time frame allotted to the project influenced the project design. The project was very much survey and action-research oriented.

The suggested plan of activity for each of the two issues was to conduct a literature search on each topic and then to work with literacy learners and practitioners to: (a) identify reasons for nonparticipation and for dropout, and (b) suggest strategies to overcome the problems. The effective working time for the project was four months.

The activities included:

1. undertaking literature searches on the identified topics;
2. reading past reports of learner conferences and events in B.C. and elsewhere;
3. talking with the staff of the Adult Literacy Contact Centre in Vancouver about their experiences with learner or potential learner telephone calls and their follow-up;
4. compiling a cover letter and general questionnaire for circulation among the provincial college ABE Administrators, and the college ABE Fundamental (literacy) Instructors (see Appendix A);
5. arranging telephone and personal interviews with a variety of practitioners and agency people;
6. visiting seven local literacy classes to talk to the learners about their experiences and ideas;
7. interviewing specific individuals of low educational attainment, or low literacy skills who were either nonparticipants or withdrawals from ABE programs;
8. undertaking a telephone survey of nonregistrants in one college's ABE literacy programs; and
9. undertaking a telephone survey of withdrawals from a mid-sized suburban school district literacy program.