Chalcogenide glasses exhibit an enhanced Kerr nonlinear refractive index n2, which can be used in a number of applications such as optical switching, pulse shaping, etc. We have explored a range of bulk chalcogenide glasses for optimization at communications wavelengths (~1.55 ?m), motivating current experiments in thin film planar waveguides as well as fiber devices. Low-loss single mode waveguides have been fabricated in a number of ways, and their linear and nonlinear optical properties will be presented. Strong Bragg gratings have also been fabricated using replica molding from holographically generated templates. Finally, the use of chalcogenide films as lateral waveguide cladding of semiconductor optical devices will be described.