This handbook is offered as a guide and resource for Adult Basic Education (ABE) curriculum development in the area of adult competencies and coping skills. It addresses sixty-five Adult Performance Level (APL) objectives identified in a previous study. Following a brief introduction, steps for organizing the curriculum begin in section 2 with identifying and dividing staff responsibilities. The functions of selecting, organizing, and validating competencies are examined in section 3; selection of APL objectives and a skills matrix are proposed as an organizational approach. In the fourth section, eight checklist questions are provided for writing instructional materials. Section 5 suggests (1) two types of curriculum evaluation be performed (formative and summative) and (2) four types of measures be considered (attitude questionnaire and criterion referenced tests for students and curriculum strengths and weaknesses questionnaire and curriculum utilization checklist for teachers). In section 7 orientation and feedback are discussed in relation to teacher training and evaluation. In section 8 typical expense categories are presented. Appendixes contain APL objectives (for consumer economics, occupational knowledge, community resources, government and law, and health) and annotated lists of commercial materials, curriculum guides, and evaluation resources. Sample student and teacher questionnaires are also included. (CSS)