Barriers to providing an appropriate public education to all children with handicaps are analyzed, and promising practices are identified to counter the effect of each. Nonbiased assessment procedures, vocational or educational curricula, and related services are seen as critical aspects in overcoming technological barriers, while attitude training for educators and nondisabled children is suggested to deal with attitudinal barriers. Jurisdictional barriers may be dealt with by such actions as legal and policy mandates and interagency agreements. Policies clearly defining roles and responsibilities of regular and special education personnel and materials on parents' and children's rights are among ways advocated for meeting administrative and political barriers. Architectural barriers may be surmounted by cost-effective design modifications, while economic barriers may be addressed through the use of existing facilities and the efficient use of volunteers. Also suggested are ways to handle personnel barriers (including staff incentive and training alternatives); logistical barriers (such as using mobile assessment teams in rural areas); legal barriers (model legislation and policies on preschool education and graduation competency requiremens); motivational barriers (encouraging youth to stay in school through work study approaches); and idiosyncratic barriers. (CL)