The handbook is intended to aid residential schools for deaf children in establishing comprehensive staff development programs. Stressed is the importance of involving all staff members including administrators, teachers, and dormitory counselors in the provision of an integrated 24-hour-a-day learning environment. The handbook is said to be appropriate for use by a single school, a group of schools acting cooperatively, or training institutions desiring to assist schools. Described in the first section is a pilot regional training program which involved six schools working together with the New York University Deafness Research and Training Center to develop a cadre of trainers from each school's staff to oversee staff development and inservice training at their respective schools. Contained in the second section are notes from the actual experiences of the six project schools covering topics such as first steps, resistance to change, staff relationships, and planning for multiply handicapped children. Considered in the third section, a general guide to staff development, are issues in program development and suggestions for implementation in areas such as school policies, choosing a director of staff development, training a core team of trainers, increasing staff sensitivity, orienting the new child, first aid and accident prevention, and behavior management. (DB)