The institute was designed to prepare Indian personnel for assignments in schools having large numbers of Indian and handicapped children. The following were the specific objectives: (1) improvement of, and change in, educational settings for Indian handicapped children in Federal, state, and private schools on reservations; (2) preparation of Indian paraprofessionals to assist special and regular classroom teachers in reservation schools; (3) increasing the participants' knowledge of educational needs of the handicapped and developing more positive attitudes toward the handicapped; (4) provision of course work in child growth and development, exceptional children, American Indian history and culture, state school organization and Indian education, and the preparation and use of instructional materials; and (5) provision of supervised practicum experiences in regular and special education settings providing observation and participation with children having a variety of handicapping conditions. Included in the document is information on operation of the program in terms of planning, participants, staff, orientation, institute components, cooperating agencies, and evaluation. The appendices provide a list of books, pamphlets, films, and community resources, as well as evaluation instruments, teacher-aide institute data, and various blank forms. (EL)