THIS PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO FIND MEANS OF PREDICTING THE POSTSCHOOL EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS OF EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED ADOLESCENTS. TWO HYPOTHESES WERE--(1) THERE IS A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSTSCHOOL SUCCESS IN EMPLOYMENT AND REALISTIC VOCATIONAL PLANS, AND (2) THOSE EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED IN WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS WILL HAVE MORE REALISTIC VOCATIONAL PLANS. BOTH EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS AND VOCATIONAL REALISM WERE DEFINED OPERATIONALLY BY ESTABLISHED CRITERIA. DATA WERE GATHERED THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND REVIEWS OF SCHOOL RECORDS AND STATISTICALLY ANALYZED. THE FIRST HYPOTHESIS WAS NOT CONFIRMED. THE SECOND HYPOTHESIS WAS PARTIALLY CONFIRMED, BUT THE SMALL NUMBER OF SUBJECTS EMPLOYED THROUGH OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS DID NOT ALLOW GENERALIZATION ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS TO REALISTIC VOCATIONAL PLANS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING SEX, RACE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, AND STABILITY OF CHOICE WAS GIVEN. IMPLICATIONS CONCERNING COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE, RECORD KEEPING, HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM, AND THE SECONDARY TEACHER OF EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED WERE INCLUDED. (JW)