Provided is a manual compiled by the Southwest Regional Resource Center identifying and articulating the process steps required to establish services for severely handicapped children in a public school setting. Offered are seven planning elements (population baseline, appraisal resources, schools and physical facility resources, transportation, financial resources, staff resources, and community service resources); nine implementation elements (utilization and application of appraisal, student placement match, structure of instruction, staff utilization and implementation, instructional program methodology, program curricula, adaptation of facilities and equipment, parents, and evaluation); and three augmentation elements (distention, extension, and expansion). Each element is presented through the following format: the element is defined and delimited, the rationale for inclusion is stated, the component points are identified, the outcomes of the activities of the element are specified, a task analysis (the major portion of the element) is outlined, an inventory is provided in order to assess needs, and a bibliography of pertinent documents is included. Most elements also include supplementary material such as definitions of terms, forms, charts, case studies, and formats for workshops. (IM)