This paper reports the progress to date and plans of the Appalachian Consortium Special Development Project, funded under Title III of the Higher Education Act. The participating institutions joined the consortium because it was felt that only through a cooperative arrangement could they overcome the limitations of inadequate resources arising from being in a depressed region and more effectively implement North Carolina's open-door policy to educate the low-income and educationally deprived populace. A 3-year plan has been adopted which will include (1) basic research in relation to short and long-range program planning, (2) implementation and evaluation of selected programs, and (3) further evaluation and possible program revision. In this first year, priority has been assigned to the following research/study areas: (1) a comprehensive community survey including a business-industrial survey; (2) development of student profile data and exchange of aggregated results; (3) follow-up studies of alumni and dropouts; and (4) image studies to determine the way programs and services are received by the community. Survey instruments used to follow-up alumni and dropouts and to assess the future plans of high school students in the area are appended. (NF)