Major issues addressed during a 1979 international meeting of experts on special education, which was sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), are summarized. In addition, recommendations are offered for UNESCO's immediate and future special education program. The following topics are discussed: early detection of handicaps, assessment and intervention; parents as partners in the education of their handicapped child; training; adapted special education; and integration of the handicapped into normal educational structures and active life. Attention is also directed to principles developed by the experts to guide UNESCO in drafting special education programs. An attempt is made to integrate theories and effective practice in the realm of special education, and ways in which practices can be adapted to areas with severe econcomic and social problems are described. Specifically, the experiences of the following countries are briefly discussed: Jamaica, the Philippines, Malawi (East Africa), and Algeria. Appended materials include a questionnaire administered to experts, and lists of participants and papers delivered. (SEW)