Students in career and technical education programs increasingly represent gender, racial, and cultural diversity. Students with disabilities from a wide range of backgrounds are entering the work force and career and technical education programs. This paper takes a critical look at equity issues in career and technical education. After a brief foreword providing context, the first chapter gives an overview of why career and technical education programs are important for women and girls, with an emphasis on nontraditional education and training along with the barriers faced by female students in career and technical education programs. The second chapter describes a legal framework for developing high-quality, just, and equitable career and technical education systems for individuals with disabilities. A discussion of equity issues involving race and ethnicity comprises the third chapter. Equity issues in career and technical education that face immigrants or those for whom English is a second language are addressed in chapter four. Contains 81 references. (SK)