Reading about the problems of the urban poor or learning how to read a bus schedule are not relevant to rural residents. On the other hand, learning material specific to rural needs is in high demand, as evidenced by the popularity of the Pesticide Pre-Course funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It was concluded that further research was needed to identify successful programs and to extract key elements and test their feasibility financially and politically. Efforts to share this information and replicate programs were also needed. Too often program successes in rural areas go without notice or documentation.
Rural representation is critical on government policy making committees.
A distinct costing mechanism is essential for rural literacy programs. This mechanism should take into account increased costs for phone, travel time and distance, reduced number of learners, and additional time required to get programs running. One-year pilot projects are not sufficient in rural areas and projects should be funded for at least two years. Funds and equipment must be available for effective networking. Rural literacy programs need support to offer a wide spectrum of services.