Are there common classroom and/or instructional attributes that contribute to participants’ initial and ongoing success?

• A “trusting” relationship between adult learners and practitioners led to personal bonds that strengthened participants’ determination to succeed.

• Individualized and collaborative learning in an interactive environment addressed each participant’s specific needs while fostering peer mentoring and teamwork.

• A leadership ladder encouraged excellence and provided participants with job-training and employment opportunities within a supportive environment.

• The use of experienced, concerned adult learners as community outreach workers, tutors and mentors built participants’ self-esteem and fostered their leadership skills.

Are there noteworthy changes in participants’ skills and perspectives that they ascribe to their ABLE experiences?

• Over two-thirds of the participants completed their program goals within a two year time span. Basic literacy students (27 percent of the population) participated in programs from two to 10 years with an average of 4½ years.

• All ABE and GED participants and five of seven ESL students attained a GED or High School diploma. Of the two remaining ESL participants, one became a physician five years after passing the TESOL test; the other is still in GED classes 12 years after enrollment and has now passed three of the five required tests.

• The qualitative study contained numerous statements by participants citing pride in their accomplishments, recognition of new opportunities for achievement, the choice of learning as a way of life and the desire to share their knowledge with others.

• Participants cite tutors’ and teachers’ belief in their abilities, patience, persistence, flexibility and friendship as qualities that convinced them they could succeed in the classroom and in life.

• Participants’ self-reported endorsements of the effect of ABLE participation are borne out by measurable changes in their lives and by the participant groups’ high satisfaction scores on the standardized Quality of Life Inventory.

Life Style Outcomes

Adult life style outcomes addressed changes in participants’ continuing education, welfare and employment status, children’ s education and family and community involvement.

Continuing Education

Do participants continue to seek informal and/or formal education or training?

• Seventy-nine percent of participants engaged in formal and/or informal education while an additional seven percent discussed specific plans for future education. Participants regarded informal education as an alternative or supplement to formal education.