Adult Education Linkage Services undertook a project for the Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) to identify characteristics of programs and services available to adult learners who attend ABLE-funded programs in Pennsylvania. Results of a survey of 249 ABLE-funded programs identified 33 programs serving one or more of 6 special needs populations: drug and alcohol rehabilitation, hearing impaired or deaf, mentally ill, mentally retarded, physically handicapped, and visually impaired or blind. A second survey administered to the 33 programs obtained information to assist ABLE in developing activities that would result in performance standards appropriate to the unique target populations. Information was collated for each program in the following areas: target populations in six areas of disability; ratios of total adult populations to target populations; procedures and techniques used by programs to identify members of target populations; percentage of target populations the program works with to maintain students' present educational basic skills rather than improve these skills; unique accommodations made for adult learners in special target populations; and equipment and/or materials used with the special target populations. Findings indicated a wide variance among the 33 programs as to program characteristics, instructional programs, and other techniques used by the programs. (Survey data and forms are appended.) (YLB)