The document reports the Washington component of Project IEP (individualized education program), a project designed to identify and clarify perceptions related to roles in the IEP process as mandated by P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. It is explained that under Project IEP approximately 200 persons (including state and local education administrators, regular and special teachers, parents of handicapped children and the children themselves, support personnel, and advocacy groups) were given open-ended interviews. Findings and suggestions are reported for the following areas: parental roles (reasons for, barriers to, and consequences of parental involvement); role of teachers and support personnel (increased demands, effects on morale, accountability, and effects on programs for children); and federal/state/local relationships (monitoring, standards, and fiscal needs for implementation). Listed among IEP Panel recommendations are that there is a need for educators to recognize that their specialized vocabulary may not be functional in communicating with noneducators; that additional resources necessary to meet the mandate of the law will be required; and that to assure optimum development of a child's program that includes future needs, a protective clause should be provided to prevent litigation against the local educational agency if services are not provided as projected. (SBH)