This monograph reports on an ethnographic study of the transition from school to work of 12 individuals with mental retardation. Throughout the book, examples from the lives of these individuals are used to illustrate findings and principles. The first chapter describes the methods of data collection and analysis, which focused on the relation between critical life events and the transition from school to adult life. Chapter 2 presents holistic, person-centered data about the 12 individuals, focusing on the pathways taken, the personal support systems developed, critical life events, expectations of others, and the individuals' own wishes and values. Chapter 3 introduces five skills necessary for successful mentorship in transition, including: (1) problem solving, (2) technical career planning, (3) ability to collect and assess life history information, (4) ability to analyze an individual's adult script and social network, and (5) ability to assess the individual's mediative capacities. Chapter 4 shows how these factors play out in actual lives, in discussion and evaluation of eight life histories. Stressed throughout is the importance of individual differences in planning and implementing transition goals. (Contains 65 references.) (DB)