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Alternative educational programs can meet the needs of students for whom traditional educational methods are inadequate at less than it would cost to modify the standard educational programs to accommodate all student types. Although such programs have grown more visible in the United States in recent years, alternatives have been available since colonial days. Students whose needs are not met in traditional programs often lose self-confidence and adopt counter-productive behaviors. To helps such students, alternative programs must maintain awareness of their own transitional natures, their role among mutually supportive institutions, and their responsibility for teaching students to control their own lives. Alternative programs might prove most valuable for dealing with disruptive students. Program effectiveness can be measured by how well students are prepared for participating in society; thus, academic and behavior measures are appropriate. Results so far have been inconclusive but have suggested that further research into alternative program effectiveness could prove advantageous. Clearer goals, more thorough planning, and increased consistency and community involvement appear essential. Experience also suggests that alternative programs should operate within established administrative and curricular structures, and that evaluation measures should be included in planning. (PGD)