IN A LARGE-SCALE FIELD TEST WITH FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE ADULTS, THIS PROJECT EVALUATED FOUR READING SYSTEMS--LEARNING TO READ AND SPELL, READING IN HIGH GEAR, MOTT BASIC LANGUAGE SKILLS PROGRAM, AND SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS. TESTING WAS CONDUCTED IN SEVEN COMMUNITIES IN NEW YORK, THREE IN NEW JERSEY, AND FIVE IN CALIFORNIA, PROVIDING A MIXTURE OF RURAL AND URBAN RESIDENTS AND DIVERSE ETHNIC GROUPS. THE PARTICIPANTS IN EACH STATE WERE WELFARE RECIPIENTS, 18 YEARS OR OVER, NOT IN SCHOOL, AND BELOW THE FIFTH-GRADE READING LEVEL. EACH CONTROL GROUP CONTAINED 125 PARTICIPANTS SIMILAR IN LITERACY LEVEL AND OTHER RESPECTS TO EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS. SMALL SIZE OF CONTROL GROUPS MADE RESULTS INCONCLUSIVE. THE VARIABLE WAS LEVEL OF TEACHER PREPARATION--TRAINED TEACHERS (PREFERABLY EXPERIENCED IN ADULT EDUCATION), COLLEGE GRADUATES, OR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING READING SYSTEMS WERE (1) SHORT-TERM CHANGE IN READING LEVEL, (2) ABILITY TO QUALIFY FOR OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING OR AVAILABLE JOB OPPORTUNITIES, (3) ABILITY TO MEET ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES, (4) HIGHLY TEACHABLE SYSTEMS, REQUIRING LEAST POSSIBLE SKILL, PLUS CAPACITY TO WITHSTAND POOR TEACHING, (5) FLEXIBILITY IN ACCOMMODATING LEARNERS WITH VARYING LITERACY LEVELS AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDS, (6) LEVEL OF INTEREST, (7) FEASIBILITY, AND (8) CONTRIBUTION TO THE POSITIVE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL EXPERIENCE OF LEARNERS. THIRTY-NINE REFERENCES WERE INCLUDED. (LY)