Twenty-six papers on the education of students with developmental disabilities are divided into 7 sections on: (1) definition and placement; (2) assessment and curriculum; (3) instructional strategies; (4) individual needs; (5) systematic and data-based instruction and management; (6) family involvement and community attitudes; and (7) appropriate services. The papers are: "Developmental Disabilities: Definition, Description, and Directions" (Tom E.C. Smith); "Defining Mental Retardation: The Natural History of a Concept" (J. David Smith); "Syndromes on the Margins of Mental Retardation: Dual Diagnosis and Balkanization" (Steven R. Forness and Kenneth A. Kavale); "Assessment: The Key to Appropriate Curriculum and Instruction" (Christine A. Macfarlane); "Assessment for Instruction of Students with Developmental Disabilities" (Andrea Rosenthal-Malek); "Appropriate Curriculum for Students with Developmental Disabilities" (Earle Knowlton); "Meeting the Life Skill Needs of Students with Developmental Disabilities in Integrated Settings" (H. Roberta Weaver, Shauna M. Adams, Mary F. Landers and Yvonne Bullock Fryberger); "Development of Friendships and Social Competence" (Andrea Rosenthal-Malek); "Effective Instructional Interventions for Students with Developmental Disabilities" (Deborah Huntington); "Small-Group Direct Instruction for Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities" (Dennis D. Munk, Toni Van Laarhoven, Steven Goodman, and Alan C. Repp); "Beyond Acquisition: Teaching Generalization for Students with Developmental Disabilities" (Andrea Rosenthal-Malek and Arlene Bloom); "Behaving Independently: Considerations in Fading Instructor Assistance" (Felix F. Billingsley); "Multicultural Practice in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities" (Scott Sparks); "Facilitating Friendships and Social Relationships between Students with Severe Disabilities and Their Peers" (Mary Ann Demchak); "Self-Determination for Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities" (Michael L. Wehmeyer, James E. Martin, and Deanna J. Sands); "Assistive Technology Effective Practices for Students with Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities" (Howard P. Parette, Jr.); "Transition Practices for Students with Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities" (James M. Brown, Dianne Berkell Zager, Pat Brown, and Linda Price); "Data-Based Measurement and Evaluation" (Christine A. Macfarlane); "Classroom Management: Promising and Effective Practices for Students with Developmental Disabilities" (Deborah Huntington); "Reducing Challenging Behaviors in Learners with Developmental Disabilities through the Modification of Instructional Practices" (John J. Wheeler); "A Multidimensional Model for Understanding and Working with Parents and Families" (Alan Hilton); "Empowering Family Members To Work as Partners with Professionals" (Ann Horwath); "Attitudes about Individuals with Developmental Disabilities" (Ravic Ringlaben, Dale Dahmen-Jones); "The Roles and Responsibilities of Paraeducators Who Serve Students with Developmental Disabilities" (Anna Lou Pickett and Kent Gerlach); "Creating Inclusive Schools: Changing Roles and Strategies" (Darlene E. Perner and Gordon L. Porter); and "Effective Practice for Generating Outcomes of Significance: The Complexities of Transformational Change" (Garnett J. Smith, Patricia J. Edelen-Smith, and Robert A. Stodden). (Individual papers contain references.) (DB)