A study analyzed the nature of the delivery system for adult occupational education provided by the public sector in four New Jersey counties and then across the country. Objectives were to describe, identify, and analyze existing linkage networks; factors affecting articulation; factors facilitating or impeding collaborative linkages between providers and such user systems as business and industry, labor, and CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) programs; and policy alternatives for enhancing effectiveness. Focusing on four New Jersey counties, the first stage consisted of an ecological analysis of roles and relationships of providers by mapping existing linkage networks and a search for explanations of linkage related phenomena. Over a nine month period, data was collected in three forms (interview, observations, and documentary data) and analyzed using the inductive approach to qualitative data analysis (grounded theory technique). Limitations included the exclusion of methods outside the public sector, geographical bias, and the fact that separate organizational units devoted specifically to adult occupational education are rare. The second stage of research involved the use of the analytical description as a base for extending the study nationally through a survey of state level decision makers. Results indicated minimal coordination and cooperation, sporadic and muted competition, and a general indifference from an ecological systems perspective indicating a need for improving articulation through increased tangible incentives for institutions and state agencies; clarification of institution roles; more collaborative effort with business, industry, and CETA; and improvement of leadership. (FP)