Supported employment has greatly changed the work histories and vocational outcomes of thousands of persons with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Unfortunately, many programs exclude those individuals supported employment was designed to assist. Many individuals with severe mental retardation have difficulty finding and keeping employment due to their mental disability ; the persence of interfering, challenging behaviors ; and/or other disabling conditions. This hands-on resource provides explicit strategies, based on extensive field testing and use in community job training, for addressing issues and methods in supported employment for persons with functional, severe, or profound mental retardation. Essential to employment specialists, special educators, and vocational program managers, this field-tested guide supplies : - employment outcomes appropriate for persons with severe mental retardation ; - steps and activities required to develop a situational assessment site ; - strategies for job development, finding an employment niche, and selling supported employment services ; - steps to employ in job-site training to include orienation, skill acquisition, and performance stabilization ; - advocacy guidelines for maintaining competitive employment. Included are implementation guidelines, illustrative graphs and charts, sample letters, forms, and checklists - all designed to enhance the employability of persons with severe mental retardation.