<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-04-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000893965</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PLATO LEARNING INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TUTR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001413397</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Riera Vincent</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10801 NESBITT AVENUE SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BLOOMINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55437-3109</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-04-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1471</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.76</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>90043.6733</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Under the terms of the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan, the reporting person elected to satisfy his tax withholding obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock by having PLATO Learning withhold a number of vested shares having a value on the date of vesting equal to the tax withholding obligation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 392.6701 shares acquired by the reporting person under the PLATO Learning Inc. employee stock purchase plan on March 31, 2010.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Kelly Jacobus  For: Vincent Riera</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-04-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
