The efficiency of training severely retarded adults in sheltered workshops with frequent changes of specific jobs can be increased through an "operations" approach. The approach focuses on teaching workers to respond correctly to cues frequently used in vocational training, such as modeling or priming the response, or providing match to sample cues. The ability to respond correctly to these cues is conceptualized as an "operation" or generalized response class, which if taught, might increase the efficiency of subsequent task training. The approach was successfully used with three severely retarded men who learned the operation of positioning small parts to match samples. Training techniques relied on differential reinforcement, modeling, and priming of responses to items which varied within a defined range of stimulus features. Acquisition of the operation was assessed by measuring responses to untrained and unreinforced probe tasks. (Author/DB)