The handbook provides information on South Carolina's procedural safeguards related to the education of handicapped children. Separate units focus on the following topics (sample subtopics in parentheses): laws/litigation pertaining to the handicapped (state and federal laws, significant court decisions); procedural safeguards (due process hearings, surrogate parents, hearing officers); general roles/responsibilities of the hearing officer; procedures prior to, during and after a local education agency hearing (notification, evidence and testimony, decisionmaking); and state education agency appeal procedures (initiating an appeal, procedures during a hearing). Included in four appendixes are sample forms and records. (CL)