A study was conducted to determine the employment and training needs of rehabilitation homemaker paraprofessionals in North Dakota on the basis of program development. A survey instrument was developed from a review of the literature and input from a panel of advisors, and administered to 15 supervisors and 27 paraprofessionals at agencies that received state funds to teach independent living skills to developmentally disabled persons. Forty-six of the survey's 51 listed job skills were identified by the supervisors and/or paraprofessionals. Supervisors targeted 21 job skills as inservice training needs. Those most strongly identified related primarily to general skills: understanding the handicapping condition, observing and evaluating behavior, developing ways to teach, and knowledge of medical concerns. Highest areas related to training for independent living skills were protection of rights, appropriate sexual expression, and use of first aid. Recommendations made as a result of the study included the following: (1) those job skills and training needs that were identified should provide a basis for preservice education; (2) training programs should include an independent living training component; (3) a long-term, self-sustaining training system should be developed; (4) preservice training programs should be based on common competencies needed by special education teacher aides and houseparents; (5) state licensure specifications should provide incentives for training paraprofessionals; and (6) training should be field-based and problem-centered. (KC)