David, The finding that you underline-the large scale illiteracy in the United States-is a problem that has been with us for a long time.
Perhaps "the main point" of the NAAL study differs for different interests. The main point for a group such as DDN, devoted as it is to expanding the use of the new communication technologies, is that in a decade in which the use of computer technology in our schools and colleges, and in the culture at large, has expanded significantly. . . the general level of literacy has declined. Further: there are suggestions by the officials connected with the study that new communication media-tv and the internet-are responsible for the decline. Steve Eskow [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of David Rosen Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 6:54 AM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: [DDN] NAAL points to serious,ongoing adult basic skills problem in U.S. Colleagues, The main point of the NAAL study (and the NALS study a decade earlier) , obscured in much of the discussion here so far, is that 13% of American adults (30 million people) are at a Below Basic literacy level, and another 29% (an additional 63 million people) are at a Basic level. In a changing economy, with global competitiveness, family self-sufficiency for millions of Americans is at risk. With current public resources, the U.S. Department of Education says we can reach under 10% (perhaps as low as 3%) of those in need. We have a serious adult literacy and basic skills divide. What can technology offer to help solve this problem? David J. Rosen [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
