Part of an eight-module, graduate level, competency-based curriculum to prepare specialists in vocational education curriculum, this module provides information, activities, and experiences to assist in planning and implementing an assessment of curriculum development needs as the initial step in vocational program planning. Pretest, posttest, and a glossary of terms precede the instructional objectives and learning activities which are organized according to nine major performance objectives. The first three objectives are concerned with definitions and rationale for the needs assessment process, vocational education needs assessment, and various scope and models of needs assessment. Objectives four and five introduce sources of manpower data and ways of using manpower information in curricular decisions. Objective six deals with the special needs of the disadvantaged and handicapped, while the following objective requires learners to develop a data collection plan. In performance objective eight, learners develop a plan for collecting local needs assessment data. The final objective requires learners to analyze and interpret needs assessment information in making recommendations for curriculum change. These major objectives are subdivided into several instructional objectives which are accompanied by related learning activities. The learning activities include fact sheets, worksheets, activity sheets, and keys. (Author/NJ)