The purpose of the West Virginia Special Needs Project was to learn more about how to work effectively with low-income, rural, nonfarm groups. Three test communities without previous experience with Extension activities were selected. These test communities were surveyed to provide information about the communities and their residents that could be used for subsequent program planning. Information was collected in the following areas: locational characteristics of the communities, population structure by sex and age, educational attainment, employment, income, and existence of community in the 3 areas. Programs in early childhood education, health, recreation, and community development were introduced. The major conclusion of this evaluation study was that the project was successful to the extent that it demonstrated that organizational structures can be created, new services delivered, and educational work can be carried on by Extension in low-income rural communities. Some guidelines for future programs were suggested. Examples of interview schedules and suggested activities were presented in the appendixes. (PS)