Community based instruction for severely handicapped students is a central way of enhancing independent living skills in the student's natural environment. Teaching skills in the settings in which students will be required to use them helps to facilitate the development of both skill acquisition and skill generalization. On-site instruction further reduces the probability of teaching irrelevant prerequisite skills and helps teachers become aware of variables that may interfere with skill acquisition. Neighborhood exposure helps handicapped students to develop appropriate behaviors and allows community members to become more cognizant of the needs of handicapped persons. Planning an on-site program includes conducting an ecological inventory, designing instruction through task analyses, and recording student progress. (CL)