The research problem was to determine the perceived mean self-concept attitudes of academically at-risk students in Coordinated Vocational Academic Education (CVAE) cooperative education programs with at-risk students in regular academic programs as measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale.

This study enhances student acceptance of career investigation and contains extensive lesson plans for each day of the school year, plus one copy of each handout to be duplicated. The classroom is run as a business where students work for the instructor and are paid by check at the end of each week. Money is deposited on account and used to purchase course grades. The more money the student earns, the higher grade he can purchase. The findings show that students learn more about careers. Students became aware that the higher paying career fields required more schooling and/or training, resulting in changed attitudes about school. They were able to see how the relationship of the learning process could determine their future.