TO INVESTIGATE THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT OF THE DEAF, FOUR OBJECTIVES WERE STUDIED--(1) THE CURRENT OCCUPATIONAL STATUS OF YOUNG DEAF ADULTS IN NEW ENGLAND, (2) THE CURRENT FORMAL VOCATIONAL PREPARATION AVAILABLE TO THEM, (3) THEIR VOCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS, APTITUDES, AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND (4) THE NEED AND DEMAND FOR A REGIONAL TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER. QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS WERE USED TO COLLECT THE DATA FROM 177 JUNIORS AND SENIORS AND 236 FORMER STUDENTS IN NINE NEW ENGLAND SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF BETWEEN 1957 AND 1963. RESULTS SHOWED THAT, ACCORDING TO THE CRITERION OF WAGE, THE OCCUPATIONAL STATUS OF THE YOUNG DEAF ADULT WAS LOW. ONE HALF HELD UNSKILLED OR SEMI-SKILLED POSITIONS. OVER 80 PERCENT WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR PRESENT JOB, ALTHOUGH ONLY ONE THIRD HAD OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCEMENT EVEN WITH EXTRA TRAINING. THE GENERAL APTITUDE TEST BATTERY SHOWED THAT THE DEAF COULD BE SUCCESSFUL IN 753 OF 840 OCCUPATIONS LISTED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. MOST OF THESE REQUIRE EXTENSIVE TECHNICAL OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING. SINCE NO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF IN NEW ENGLAND HAS A COMPREHENSIVE TERMINAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT A REGIONAL TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER IS NEEDED AND ACCORDING TO THE RESPONSES RECEIVED, MANY DEAF ADULTS WOULD ATTEND, GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY. THE QUESTIONNAIRES AND SAMPLE RESPONSES ARE PRESENTED IN THE APPENDIXES. A LIST OF 15 REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (MW)