This self-study guide is intended to help in understanding issues of ethnicity in special education in the context of increasing interest by the federal Office for Civil Rights in the overrepresentation of minority students, especially black students, in special education classes. Part 1 provides a brief overview of the topic of disproportionate representation of minority students in special education and stresses the importance of carefully reviewing each local situation to determine reasons for apparent disparities. Part 2 offers specific suggestions on what information to gather, how to analyze it, and how to remedy problems. Guidelines are also offered for the analysis of statistical data and for review of the district's policies and procedures in five areas: general education intervention, referral, evaluation, placement, and procedural safeguards. Appended are specific directions for statistical computation of disproportionate representation of minority students in special education, a checklist for review of the five procedural areas, and a form for determining minority representation in special education by building. (Contains 25 references.) (DB)