National Adult Literacy Database

In June 2005, the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) held a Health and Learning Knowledge Centre (HLKC) consultation in Vancouver, British Columbia. At the consultation, participants agreed to establish various working groups to address the work of the HLKC. These working groups address life stages in health and learning and concentrate on settings, places, and communities where health and learning takes place. The Adult Working Group (AWG) is now one of 15 working groups addressing learning across the life span.

In 2006-2007, the AWG focused its research on adults with low literacy skills and immigrants and refugees. The AWG's work involves direct discussion with marginalized adults in the identified groups who could be directly helped through an effective knowledge exchange and translation with respect to health and learning. In this report, the AWG summarizes the outcomes of its consultations with immigrants, refugees and adults with literacy challenges and presents participants’ recommendations for strategies to address identified barriers. The working group also offers its recommendations for setting a knowledge agenda.