| This phenomenological study examined the stories of illiterate African American adults to determine the factors that led to their illiteracy. Narrative techniques were utilized to discern themes from narrative accounts of eight participants. The participants were enrolled in one of two adult basic education programs referred to as ABE I and ABE II. They responded to questions regarding their early educational experiences, coping skills, and reasons for enrolling in an adult basic education program. The recurring story elements that were identified as factors that led to the participants' low literacy levels were: family educational background and school experiences. Recommendations for further research included exploration of special education programs, increasing the size of the sample, an expanding the geographical area location covered. |
