Because the communication skills of people with significant disabilities are often limited, ordinary choices often elude them. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to help care-providers recognize the choices made by people with severe disabilities, especially those natural cues which indicate an individual's preferences. It discusses community-based opportunities for choice-making, focusing on: (1) identification of sites in the community and behavior assessment, (2) identification of behaviors and instructional assessment, (3) identification of choice-making opportunities and choice assessment, and (4) continued assessment and follow-up. For each topic, an example and a self-check procedure are provided. A case study illustrates application of these principles in more depth. The final chapter stresses the importance of assessing behaviors and skills in the repertoire of each individual in order to target those which assist choice-making in community-based settings. (Contains 47 references.) (DB)