This book chapter puts community-based rehabilitation and community-based instruction in an historical perspective by describing a number of influential social, political, legal, technological, and philosophical factors that have shaped contemporary special and regular education. The characteristics of community-based instruction, community-based curricula, and community-based individualized education plans (IEPs) are discussed, as are methods for developing and implementing community-based instruction. Instructional techniques, ecological inventories, discrepancy analyses, and methods for rating the relative importance of skills are reviewed. The paper also discusses practical and logistical issues related to community-based instruction, as well as the need for effective team work among parents, teachers, and therapeutic personnel in establishing and conducting effective, individualized, community-based instruction. Guidelines for community-based research are also discussed. (85 references) (JDD)