This paper provides guidelines for the use of videotape recordings for systematic instruction in functional skills for students with moderate to severe disabilities. Four examples illustrate use of videotapes to teach community skills (e.g., crossing a street) to secondary students with moderate disabilities; self care skills (e.g., zipping a jacket) to elementary students with moderate disabilities; and food preparation tasks (e.g., making macaroni and cheese in a microwave) to secondary students with moderate disabilities, and both self-care and domestic skills to students with autism. Suggested steps for teaching using videotapes include the following: (1) select a target skill; (2) construct a task analysis; (3) determine the viewpoint of the videotape; (4) shoot the videotape; (5) determine if the videotape should be edited; (6) select the instructional procedure; (7) decide who will operate the videotape; (8) determine the data collection schedule; and (9) determine the teacher's role in delivering consequences. (DB)