An ethnographic study of the intake process involving the formal assessment, placement, and educational programming of 12 Hispanic deaf/hearing impaired children, aged 3-8, in both a private school for the deaf and the New York City public schools, was conducted over a 2-year period (1984-1986). Participant observation, interviewing, and electronic recording were used to monitor the intake process which included formal assessments, case conferences, parent/teacher meetings, written reports (including Individualized Education Programs), correspondence with state education officials, as well as both home and classroom interactional settings. Gaps were found to exist between policy/legal guidelines and actual practice, especially concerning the active participation of Hispanic parents in decision making, and the accurate assessment of the social, communicative, and educational abilities and needs of the deaf children. These gaps appeared to result from social and cultural rather than individual or psychological factors. In order to foster the provision of improved services for Hispanic families and their disabled children it is recommended that: (1) certain changes in legal guidelines and organizational structures within special education systems be explored; (2) training programs for policy makers and educators in special education systems be instituted; and (3) training and information programs for Hispanic parents be developed. (Appendices constituting over half the document provide: (1) plans for further analysis of data and dissemination of results; (2) a description of a national survey used in the study with a summary of results; and (3) an extensive annotated bibliography for researchers and educators interested in applying the ethnographic perspective. Two resarch guides are also appended.) (Author/DB)