Designed for teachers of the severely handicapped within the Arizona public schools, the manual reviews current practices in special education for this population. An initial chapter examines student characteristics, while a second reviews current practices in assessment (including brief descriptions of vocational, social, perceptual, language, intelligence, and adaptive behavior tests). The following topics are explored in separate chapters (sample subtopics in parentheses): staffing and related services (roles of therapists, social workers, psychologists, etc.); individualized education plan (required components); curricular options (brief descriptions of 24 approaches, procedures for modifying and developing curricula); teaching strategies (15 guidelines); relationship to regular education (critical factors); learning environment space design (physical design and materials/equipment); and linkages with the residential setting (teacher-parent programing, parent counseling, parent to parent group). Chapters frequently conclude with sample forms and a list of references. Seven appendixes address such special concerns as medical factors, feeding, and transportation. (CL)