The primary research was conducted through interviews, conversations and meetings. Primary data source research was conducted through gathering materials from the author's workplace (which became his former workplace during the course of the research) and from related workplaces.

Secondary research took the form of topic searches on data bases and computer networks and academic texts. The New Brunswick Statistics Agency and the Canadian federal government body Statistics Canada provided statistics.

A lack of academic attention has been paid to problem of communicating to illiterate populations. Despite an effort to locate academic analysis of the problem, little was found. Therefore, materials used by and interviews with those facing the problem directly such as those in the New Brunswick Department of Health and Community Services and regional health corporations and those working in community centres provided most of the insight gained in the research of this communications problem.

Statistics on literacy rates were provided by Statistics Canada, the federal government office responsible for demographic and other statistics in Canada. Specifically, the International Adult Literacy Survey of 1994, the most comprehensive international study of literacy rates ever completed, which was co-ordinated partly by Statistics Canada, was used. For this survey, a large sample of adults, ranging from 1500 to 8000 per country, was surveyed. The survey data are based on samples of individuals and are subject to sampling error. Also, the data are based on different combinations of test items administered to sampled individuals, which causes some imprecision in the estimation of ability. This should also be taken into account in determining if observed differences are statistically significant. The International Adult Literacy Survey was the subject of an independent quality review; the reviewers unanimously recommended publication of the report (Literacy, Economy...1995).

Specifics for the target demographic of the case study were provided by Jean J.R. Pignal of Statistics Canada. For some of these, the user is advised that the specific statistics do not meet Statistics Canada's quality standards for this statistical program. Conclusions based on these data will be unreliable, and most likely invalid (Pignal, 1997).