From this model, it is clear that the success of reading for comprehension rests upon (1) the possession and access of content knowledge relevant to what is being read; (2) the possession and access of task-relevant information processing (procedural) knowledge, including planning or goal-setting (metacognitive) knowledge and knowledge of strategies for learning from texts; oral language representation knowledge (grammar: lexicon and syntax; communicative knowledge, such as questioning for clarification) and written language representation knowledge, including various communicative conventions developed by literates over time (such as topic sentence and supporting details in expository materials) and (3) an external information display that can be accessed, scanned (read), and transformed into an internal representation in working memory for use in performing some task (reading-to-do) or with transfer to the long term memory or knowledge base when learning is desired (reading-to-learn).

Organizing these various components and processes of the human cognitive system into a program to help adults expand their knowledge of and skill in using graphics technology for reading is a formidable task. How one proceeds depends in large part upon the needs of the adults being served. Adults with the absolute minimum knowledge of the alphabet and writing will require education in the alphabetic principle and its use in reading. There will be a need for extensive practice in decoding before these adults can give a skillful reading performance.

Though it is not always the case, most adults who possess the very least knowledge of and skill in reading will also possess poorly developed oral language ability, and particularly a poorly developed lexicon. In addition to learning the graphic technology of literacy, they will require extensive vocabulary and conceptual knowledge development, in a wide array of domains, over an extended period of time, to become broadly literate.

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