The first of five volumes on Project REACH (Regular Education for All Children with Handicaps) describes an approach for assessing and programing for the social skills needs of students with severe disabilities. Three major categories of social skills--social exchange, social rules, and body posture--are addressed. A section on assessment covers community and classroom environments. Individual education program objectives are considered as part of a process that trains basic skills within and across critical activities. A chapter on instruction addresses fundamental concerns of how, where (instructional and generalization environments), and when (scheduling) to provide social skills training. A model for integrating severely disabled and nondisabled students in regular public and community settings is described. A final section offers curriculum ideas for leisure, community, domestic, and vocational activities. Appended materials include sample observation and evaluation forms. (CL)