Computer-assisted guidance and information systems have recently gained increased popularity among counselors and students. However, there has been little objective research performed on them. The result has been that counselors are often uncertain about the appropriate usage of these instruments. A popular computer-assisted information system which has received little study is the Virginia VIEW Career Search. The Career Search is an accessing strategy designed to lead the users to access occupational and/or educational information from the Virginia VIEW microfiche. The Career Search was adapted from the Michigan Structured Occupational Search, which was developed using the Department of Labor's (DOL) occupational classification system and the Ohio Vocational Interest Survey's weighting of the DOL's data-people-things classification.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the appropriate usage of the Virginia VIEW Career Search. The study sought information concerning how the Career Search is being used in public schools in Virginia by assessing user satisfaction and determining whether the search does lead the users to access occupational and educational information. Finally, user satisfaction ratings and the results of the Career Search and the Ohio Vocational Interest Survey II (OVIS II) were compared.

The sample consisted of 624 Virginia secondary school students whose school districts use both the Career Search and the OVIS II in their counseling programs. The students completed the Career Search, the OVIS II, and the Student Questionnaire. The Student Questionnaire includes a revision of Zener & Schnuelle's 1972 Feedback Sheet, which had been revised to include a questionnaire which assesses whether users seek occupational/educational information after taking the Career Search. A portion of the Feedback Sheet collected ratings so that satisfaction for the Career Search and OVIS II could be compared. Finally, the results of the Career Search and the OVIS II were compared.

The results of the study indicated that users do access career information after taking the Career Search. One of the most utilized sources of career information is the Virginia VIEW microfiche occupational files. Users were generally satisfied with the Career Search, and felt that it helped them gain insight concerning appropriate careers for themselves, and was a good use of their time. Data was insufficient to make a comparison of the levels of user satisfaction for the Career Search and the OVIS II. The comparison of the results of the two instruments yielded limited data as well. However, approximately fifty percent of the subjects had matched results for the first OVIS II scale on their OVIS II Student Report and one or more occupational titles (viewscripts) generated from using the Career Search.