Project SPECIAL (Special Paraprofessionals Educating Children in Active Learning) trains handicapped college students to work as assistants in schools for special needs students. The project is intended to provide models for handicapped students, upgrade the quality of special education aides, and encourage human service agencies to hire the handicapped as paraprofessionals. Project SPECIAL provides a competency based special education paraprofessional program for 50 handicapped college students as well as on the job vocational experience. Results of the Tennessee Self Concept Test indicated an overall increase in self esteem, and academic achievement gains were noted as well. (CL)