One of the most pressing needs in education today is the adaptation of instruction to individual characteristics and background. The Individually Prescribed Instruction project (IPI) of the University of Pittsburgh represents an investigation into the requirements for and the problems encountered in developing a system for individualizing instruction. Among the working aims of IPI are the development of self-directed and self-initiated learners through instructional procedures which provide for self-selection and self-evaluation. The developmental requirements to meet the objectives include the following components: (1) detailed diagnosis is made of the initial state with which a learner comes into a particular instructional situation, and (2) the adaptation of educational alternatives to the performance profiles determined in the student population. Placement tests are given at the beginning of the year to show the relative position of the student compared to the year's end position. Pre-unit tests are also given to determine which concepts of a unit the child has already mastered. Post tests help to evaluate when the child is ready to move on. (Author/KJ)