A study was conducted to (1) identify continuing education needs and barriers to adult participation in New York State (excluding New York City); (2) collect information about adult education services and staff development priorities in programs sponsored by public schools, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, and two-year state colleges; and (3) utilize obtained information in regional and state planning for program and staff development. A multiple choice questionnaire was developed to obtain information in six major areas: adult background, past participation, obstacles, and preferred participation conditions in continuing education activities, expressed learning interests, and potential for counseling services utilization. The interview sample included 20,486 adults, sixteen years or older and not full-time students. In general, findings indicated that those who saw themselves as needing information and likely to use counseling services included: persons viewing continuing education as a means of obtaining or advancing in the job, the young, the economically disadvantaged, and those who wished to acquire basic educational skills. Adults with lowest incomes and educational attainment were most likely to perceive lack of information as interfering with participation. The highly ranked barrier, tuition costs, indicates attention should be given to problems of financing continuing education. Also, additional efforts might be directed to further identify and discriminate among strategies to reach special adult target groups. (CSS)