As a part of its mandate for equal access to vocational training for special needs individuals, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1984 stipulated that if disadvantaged individuals require separate programming to enable them to participate in vocational education, federal funds may be used to pay 50 percent of the cost of the program's services and activities that exceed the eligible recipient's average per pupil expenditure for regular services. Vocational education research has documented a set of special learning and environmental needs of disadvantaged youth and adults with broad implications for vocational education programming, guidance personnel, development of program quality indicators, and improvement of contemporary vocational programming for special needs clients. Special needs youths and adults must receive equal access in recruitment, enrollment, and placement activities and must be served within regular vocational programs. Although the Perkins Act has not significantly changed the role of guidance personnel in serving special needs clients, it has expanded their scope. Perhaps the best way to improve existing programming is to begin attacking the environmental problems that exist outside the educational environment. Disadvantaged students should be given a sound foundation in the basic skills and should be trained or retrained in the new or emerging technologies rather than in lower-paying, service-oriented jobs. Also vital to program improvement are more stress on mainstreaming, socialization, and adequate client assessment. (MN)