National Adult Literacy Database

The Aboriginal Adult Literacy Assessment Tool (AALAT) project was developed in response to the 2003 International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey (IALSS), which reported that more than 63 per cent of Aboriginal adults did not possess the literacy skills required to be contributing members of Canadian society.

The project team argued that the IALSS does not accurately portray the literacy skills of Aboriginal adults because it is based in Eurocentric, non-Aboriginal ways of assessment, using materials that have little relevance to Aboriginal peoples or communities.

The AALAT was designed to be administered in a one-to-one setting by a trained tester. It includes a general information section that allows the individual to explain ideas and personal insights about literacy. The second section includes test questions that determine the participant’s strength in such areas as literacy, numeracy and problem solving.

In this document, the authors present the findings of the pilot project in graphs and charts.