An innovative system to facilitate inter-agency cooperation in 16 federal agencies concerned with adult basic education is provided. The 16 programs chosen for the study were: (1) Work Incentive Program; (2) Concentrated Employment Program; (3) New Careers; (4) The Cuban Refugee Program; (5) Grants for Community Planning, Services and Training for Older Persons; (6) Social Services in Support of Adults with Potential for Self-Support; (7) Vocational Rehabilitation; (8) Vocational and Technical Education; (9) Manpower Development and Training Act; (10) Neighborhood Youth Corps; (11) Operation Mainstream; (12) Job Corps; (13) Programs for Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers; (14) Education and Vocational Training for Federal Prisoners; (15) Adult Basic Education; and (16) Project 100,000. Questionnaires were used in a field survey of twelve local programs that were "typical" of a corresponding federal agency. Findings of the study are: (1) There is at present no clear national policy for ABE; (2) There is at present no universally applicable definition of Adult Basic Education; (3) Target populations for ABE programs are unclear; (4) There is at present only minimal connection between ABE programs; (5) There is at present little research or teacher training in other-than-USOE programs; and (6) There is at present a lack of standard evaluation and statistical reporting procedures in ABE programs. A presidential Advisory Council is seen as the answer to these problems. (DB)