The systematic approach to career education for special education students described in the monograph was developed by the Yonkers Career Education staff; it begins with a diagnostic evaluation of the student's capabilities and constraints on those capabilities. This approach leads to the establishment of an individualized career development program tailored to the special needs of that student. Feedback systems for readjusting prescriptive plans are incorporated on a short-term basis through pre- and posttesting of specific activities. Long-term gains can be observed by a periodic readministration of the complete diagnostic battery. The ultimate aim of the diagnostic prescriptive plan is to provide the type of educational program that will lead to the special needs student's employability in an occupation which he prefers and in which he feels the greatest degree of self-confidence and competency. Educational characteristics of the mentally retarded, characteristics of an educational program for the mentally retarded, and characteristics of a career education program for the mentally handicapped are outlined, and 16 specific adaptations of a career education program to suit it to the needs of the mentally retarded are suggested. (Author/AJ)