In attempting to document similarities between effective school practices and the provisions of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142), this report reviews the literature on school effectiveness and relates specific recommendations for classroom and schoolwide practices to those services now mandated for special education students. The authors find that the emphasis in effective schools on academic content, a tightly coupled curriculum, and teacher-directed, individualized, and carefully monitored instruction is echoed in the requirements for individualized education programs in special education. On a schoolwide basis, common goals, high standards, clear rules of conduct, and an emphasis on basic skills are also reflected in the underlying philosophy of P.L. 94-142. The authors conclude that procedural and technical problems accompanying passage of the law have resulted in a general confusion of good content with bad implementation. A checklist for effective teaching behaviors is appended. (Author/WD)