This document is intended for classroom teachers, resource personnel, administrators and parents. It is one of a series of documents developed to facilitate programming for students in grades 1 to 12 who have special education needs. The six essential components listed in this document are contained in "Standards for Special Education, Amended June 2004" (ED491438) and are therefore mandated by Alberta Education. Each component is considered essential to the provision of a comprehensive program. However, the manner in which the components are implemented may be affected by such practical considerations as availability of resources and needs of the particular student. Specifically, this document: (1) identifies the essential components of appropriate programming that are mandated by Alberta Education for students with special education needs; (2) provides examples of effective practices; (3) establishes a common understanding of specialized terminology; and (4) clarifies the meaning of appropriateness, taking into account what is reasonable for educational programming for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. An appendix defines various types of sign language systems. A list of additional resources and a glossary of terms are also provided. [For related documents, see ED494152, ED492187, and ED494150.]