Abstract: Climate change adaptation education is most urgently needed for those nations most at risk for the impacts of human induced climate change. The most in need include those peoples who have the least amount of resources including financial, knowledge and time to cope. In this paper, we report on using a methodology designed to evaluate human resource capacity to implement climate change adaptation strategies in three Large Ocean States in the Western Indian Ocean region. The methodology builds on the framework described by Fahey and Meyers (2014). We used qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate perceptions of human resource capacity building needs among government, nongovernment, private sector, and higher education professionals. We conducted three working groups, one in each of Zanzibar, Seychelles, and Comoros to determine the needs for climate change education. Participants reflected common needs, similar challenges, and shared interests. As would be expected, each nation would begin from a different starting point based on existing expertise and capacity. Analysis of stakeholder’s perceptions from each of the three working groups demonstrates the robustness of our chosen methods for data collection: on-line questionnaires, handwritten survey, and working groups of stakeholders. The use of working groups, comprising stakeholders from multiple sectors provides a valuable format for determining the needs of organisations to build capacity to deliver outcomes aligned with the Mauritius Strategy (2005) and National Climate Change Needs Self-assessment aspirational targets. ecommendations from the pilot assessment include: collaborative selection (between facilitators and national stakeholders) of workshop and focus group participants, well in advance of the activities; electronic distribution of surveys and questionnaires as a priority; and repeated communication with stakeholders regarding project activities and the purpose for the pilot and larger context.