Within the past decade there has been an increasing number of portfolios submitted by adult students requesting academic credit for their experiential learning in speech communication. The numbers of portfolios and the institutions accepting them are growing so much that the communication profession should develop policies for their assessment. In contrast with university classroom learning, experiential learning takes place in the context of the "real world," most often on the job. But job experience does not necessarily mean extensive experiential learning, and it is "learning" that is the special concern of a communication department. Most people agree that credit should not be awarded for an experience, but for the actual learning gained. Among the key issues in assessing applications for experientail credit are: (1) establishing a bona fide theoretical base; and (2) documenting the adjudicated and quantified communication experiences. In addition, international implications, particularly variances in cultural values and communication standards need to be considered. Indiana University's (IU) School of Continuing Studies has designed a system for portfolio evaluation. The IU portfolio, a refinement of the Cooperative Assessment of Experiential Learning project model, consists of 4 parts: (1) the resume, which contains persuasive groupings of life experiences that can equate the college-level learning; (2) cluster pages, which draw items of nearly any form or type and from any source that can demonstrate course equivalency through experiential learning; (3) a request for credit, which involves a brief capsulization of why a certain number and level of credits should be assigned; and (4) an appendix. (Seventeen references are attached.) (PRA)