This manual is a guide to recommended practices and procedures for meeting the special educational needs of young children with disabilities, especially those ages 3 through 5 in Illinois. Chapter 1 provides a brief history of national and Illinois state mandates in early childhood special education, notes the critical role of the family, and points out the importance of flexibility and teamwork. The second chapter looks at program development and offers guidelines for selecting objectives, effective management, formative evaluation, student evaluation, and program evaluation. The next chapter follows one hypothetical child from identification through interdisciplinary evaluation, referral, the case study process, decision making, development of an individualized educational program, periodic re-evaluation, and transition into a primary school program. Chapter 4 describes actual educational practices as they are carried out in the early childhood classroom. Principles such as the importance of play, curriculum outcomes, family involvement, teamwork, a loving climate, and student diversity are explained. The final chapter briefly addresses personnel training and professional standards. An appendix briefly describes major judicial rulings and state and federal laws. (Contains 42 references.) (DB)