A study examined the career education opportunities available to mentally handicapped adults in British Columbia. The primary objectives of the study were to assess the effectiveness of various methods and models in meeting the needs of mentally handicapped adults, to explore the policy implications of the program strengths and weaknesses, to identify the linkages and overlaps of vocational rehabilitation services provided for mentally handicapped adults, and to propose a method of providing coordinated and comprehensive career education services to all mentally handicapped adults who demonstrate a need for such services. Data from the British Columbia Health Surveillance Registry were used to estimate the career education needs of persons with mild, moderate, and severe and profound mental retardation. After analyzing the data, the researchers formulated a model of a comprehensive career education program for adults with varying degrees of mental retardation. Addressed in the model were the following program areas: recruitment and referral; student selection; life skills, work adjustment, and vocational skills training; job placement; job stabilization; and retraining. The study also resulted in the formulation of 14 policy recommendations pertaining to program priority areas, guidelines, funding, evaluation criteria, coordination, and articulation. (MN)