A global decentralized robust adaptive output-feedback dynamic compensator is proposed for stabilization, tracking, and disturbance attenuation of the decentralized generalized output-feedback canonical form. This represents the largest class for which decentralized robust adaptive output-feedback tracking and disturbance attenuation results are currently available. The system is allowed to contain unknown parameters multiplying output-dependent nonlinearities, and, also, unknown nonlinearities satisfying certain bounds. Under the assumption that a constant matrix can be found for each subsystem to achieve a certain property, it is shown that reduced-order observers and backstepping controllers can be designed to achieve practical stabilization of the tracking error in each subsystem in the presence of bounded disturbance inputs. Sufficient conditions under which asymptotic tracking and stabilization can be achieved are also obtained. Signal gains from disturbance inputs to tracking errors are presented in the input-to-output-practical-stability and integral-input-to-output-practical-stability frameworks. A particular case in which the standard L-2-gain disturbance attenuation is achieved is also provided. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.