The lifelong process of career development poses special challenges for people with learning disabilities (LD). Literature on employment issues for adults with LD frames on-the-job problems in terms of individual deficits or recasts the issues as a function of the significant societal barriers faced by those who do not fit the norm. Research on high school and college students with LD shows a multifaceted career development program is needed. Many lacked clear understanding of their disability and its impact on career choices and ability to perform a job; many youth with LD had unrealistic or no career ambitions; and a large number were not actively engaged in career development and believed they had little control over career decision making. A model for career success of adults with LD is comprised of these seven factors: internal decisions (powerful desire to succeed, clear sense of goal orientation, reframing the LD experience) and external manifestations (persistence, goodness of fit, learned creativity, social network providing support). Practices to assist persons with LD gain and maintain employment are accurate self knowledge; world-of-work knowledge; self-efficacy enhancement; self-advocacy skills; job search skills; and development of personal qualities. Programs illustrating them are Pathways to Satisfaction; Fashion Institute of Technology career development support for students with LD; and Life Development Institute's SCANS-based transition-to-postsecondary program. (Contains 14 references.) (YLB)