A study examined the degree to which former students of Pennsylvania adult basic education (ABE) programs are maintaining and using the literacy skills that they developed while participating in ABE programs. During the study, researchers examined former students enrolled in ABE programs in 1974, 1976, and 1978. After analyzing demographic data obtained from 249 telephone interviews and from in-depth evaluations of the competency skills of 59 former students, the researchers concluded that statistical differences existed on two demographic variables only: 1974 students were more likely to be registered voters and 1978 students were more likely to have obtained a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Students from all three groups surveyed maintained the literacy skills they developed during their ABE studies. The project staff concluded that if, as seems to be the case, literacy is maintained after a period of time, it would be cost effective to increase efforts to recruit and retain undereducated adults in ABE programs. Appended to the report are the project-developed interviewer's guide, the telephone questionnaire, and the text of the in-depth interview. (MN)