THE AUTHOR BRIEFLY REVIEWS STUDIES AND REPORTS ON ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN LATIN AMERICA, WHERE IN MOST COUNTRIES AT LEAST 40 PERCENT OF THE ADULT POPULATION IS ILLITERATE. EDUCATION HAS BEEN RELATED TO NATIONAL ECONOMIES, HEALTH, AND SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PROBLEMS. NATIONAL BUDGETS FOR LITERACY PROGRAMS ARE GROWING AND IN SOME COUNTRIES INDUSTRIES HAVE AIDED LITERACY EDUCATION. ADULT PROGRAMS HAVE INCLUDED CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHO WORK A FULL DAY. THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TO INVEST MORE IN ADULT OR ELEMENTARY PROGRAMS RECURS. THE PEACE CORPS HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN TRAINING TEACHERS OF ILLITERATES AND IN INITIATING PROGRAMS. NUMEROUS REFERENCES ARE MADE TO DOCUMENTS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, AND FRENCH. THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SUMMARIES IN FRENCH AND GERMAN AND IS PUBLISHED IN THE "INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF EDUCATION," VOLUME 12, NUMBER 2, 1966. (JA)