The training manual was developed as a result of a summer training institute held in 1986 for teachers of low-incidence populations (those made up of students with severe and multiply handicapping conditions). The institute aimed to provide teachers with the latest information and technology to assess and develop early communication skills, and the manual was written to provide teachers with a framework for developing appropriate programs. The first chapter provides an overview of communication development including the impact of a disability on communication. In Chapter 2, a sequence of assessment activities outlines the entire assessment process from start to finish. This chapter also provides information about the responsibilities of an educational team. Chapter 3 explains the stages or levels of communication development and the components of a communicative act (content, form, and function). Chapter 4, the longest chapter, details the assessment process itself, including guidelines and specific assessment instruments. Finally, Chapter 5 presents procedures for turning specific assessment data into an Individual Educational Program. Appendixes provide a reprint of an article, "A New Curriculum for Tommy," and descriptions of seven instruments currently available. (DB)