A systems model offers an orderly way of identifying and evaluating the complex components and relationships that are present in special education systems. When applied to national or local systems of special education, it is possible to derive convenient profiles of their strengths and weaknesses, and thus to generate future improvements. As well as having utility at this macroscopic level, the model can also be applied to the planning of single pieces of action research and to individual case work. (Author/SBH)