The dissertation examines the relationship among aspects of the individualized education program (IEP) elements: what the contract states, what the teacher intends, and what the child experiences. An initial chapter focuses on the socio-political context of the IEP, noting the lack of research on how the IEP is implemented in the classroom. Chapter 2 presents an alternative conceptualization of individualization which emphasizes the previously neglected interrelationships of teachers and students. In chapter 3, the research plan is detailed, including a rationale for selection of a naturalistic methodology. Separate chapters focus upon data collection, analysis, and results for the contractual plan, the phenomenological plan, and the empirical plan. Findings are interpreted to demonstrate the comprehensive nature of IEPs and the interaction of written plan, teacher intent, and child behavior. Twelve appendixes include examples of IEPs designed for the preschool student in the study, a subject appropriateness scale, criteria for external review of IEPs, sample letters of consent, the contractual and phenomenological plans, and rules for matching agendas to objectives. (CL)