This handbook has been designed to allow organizations and institutions to develop a basic course in gerontology relative to their own individual needs. Intended to provide a method and a wide variety of materials from which to select in order to design a course suitable for a particular setting, the selection of this format was guided by the need for optional use by a diverse population. The potential learning audience for these materials differs greatly in terms of age, student status, work status, professional interest, and expertise. The settings in which instruction would be provided are also very diverse, including two-year colleges, four-year colleges, professional training programs, inservice training in or relating to community based programs for the elderly, continuing education and extension programs and, possibly, public television. In addition, the instructors delivering the course differ widely in background, training, and teaching experience. Encompassing a far broader range of content and methods than could ordinarily be used by an instructor in a single course or learning sequence, the materials presented are diverse and flexible enough to allow the instructor to select the objectives, content, methods, and resources best suited to his teaching style and the needs and interests of his learning audience. (Author)