Career preparation, of which formal vocational education is only a part, must be integrated into handicapped students' education. To prepare handicapped students for employment, their disabilities and abilities need to be identified and understood and their skills and interests should be matched to appropriate training and employment. Meaningful work is necessary for psychological well-being, and handicapped youth deserve opportunities to achieve self-actualization through challenging and fulfilling work. Factors that interfere with successful employment include outdated attitudes, negative self-image, and a lack of positive, handicapped role models. The most underserved individual--the disabled minority female--should be targeted for the most aggressive services. Over the past several years, federal legislation has had a substantial impact on opportunities for disabled individuals. Ohio has been aggressive in addressing the mandates by developing a continuum with four levels of programming. An overwhelming need exists for schools to emphasize transition services, to adopt a more functional and less developmental curriculum, to increase real job experiences, and to follow up program leavers. These changes imply the need for revisions in preservice and inservice education and for complete infusion of career education into the special education classroom. (YLB)