The text focuses on identification criteria and characteristics of gifted and talented students in the context of educational programming. The section on characteristics discusses kinds of intelligence, indicators of giftedness, student characteristics that may pose difficulties for the classroom teacher (e.g., persistence, criticalness, and tendency to master generalizations at the expense of details), definition of giftedness in an educational context, distinction between the concepts of gifted versus talented, and the special characteristics of gifted underachievers, minority gifted, and gifted females. The second section describes types of identification instruments and procedures, as well as specific procedures implemented by selected programs for the gifted. A two-stage identification procedure is recommended. Procedures tailored to identification in such specific areas as intellectual ability, academic talent, leadership, and visual and performing arts are noted. Approximately half the text consists of supplementary materials which include lists of characteristics of gifted and talented individuals, sample checklists, rating scales, and recommendation and evaluation forms. Information on representative group and individual achievement and intelligence tests, and on tests for assessing higher-level thinking behavior, is presented in chart format. Lists of selected print and media resources conclude the supplementary material. (JW)