The overwhelming concern of respondents with disabilities was employment. Similarly, VR counselors indicated that employment issues were their primary concerns. Input from these constituents indicated that information is needed on job openings, transferable job skills, and potential employment fields. Computer systems should provide access to employment trends and job banks for specific geographic areas. This planning input from these relevant constituencies has provided the framework for design of the research described in the following pages.
Employment is the sine qua non, the indispensable condition, of vocational rehabilitation.
A productive job or occupation is the goal. Career planning and vocational training are directed toward accomplishing the employment objective. The 1992 reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act reaffirms and strengthens this commitment. I think the area of technology holds more promise for changing rehabilitation than any other area. My vision for the future of rehabilitation has a very large technology component.