I have seen the literacy up close and personal. It isn't easy and it causes the person with the challenge much grief and consternation. When I was going to school the thing to do was to pass the person along each grade never acknowledging the problem.
Imagine a world where you never read a book, logged onto the Internet, picked up a magazine, and/or read a newspaper. It is a limited world where information flows very slowly. It is a difficult world where just everyday living can seem so overwhelming.
Check out these graphics: