The paper synthesizes findings from four national studies (conducted 1982-1985) in personnel training in special education. The studies included two national surveys of manpower needs and programmatic implications, a study of a national sample of higher education departments of special education, and a survey of undergraduate and graduate students in special education teacher training programs. Results are examined in terms of three issues: (1) the characteristics and work preferences of preservice special education students (the typical preservice special education student is female, Caucasian, and a public high school graduate); (2) preparation of quality personnel (nearly half of the faculty members reported a decline in student quality over the previous 5 years); and (3) the external influences on teacher preparation in special education (there was a reported lack of communication between faculty and state education agency personnel). Implications noted include the importance of advising students of career options, examining the content of course offerings as well as the sequence of courses for students returning for graduate school, and promoting cooperation between college and university faculty and the state education agency. (CL)