Problem using htaccess to set PHP_value

[doni49]

I'm using a web host for my web site.  I am able to use .htaccess files.  I need to add two folders to the include_path statement for my web site.

Every time I use the PHP_value directive in my .htaccess file, I get an internal server error when I try to load my web page.  If I take the line OUT of the .htaccess file, there's NO error when loading the web page.

Before making any changes, [I]phpinfo()[/I] tells me this is the value of the include_path variable:
[quote] .:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php[/quote]

The following is the line I'm putting in my .htaccess file:
[QUOTE]
php_value include_path ".:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php"[/QUOTE]

I'm trying to get it working--then add my two folders to the path.

Does anyone have any ideas?

THANKS!

EDIT: I FINALLY got a response from my web host. They tell me that the php_value directive is disabled. Can anyone think of any alternatives that I can use?

One folder is outside of the public area (under the root). This folder includes some php files that I can NOT allow anyone to access. I want to include these files without having to hard code the path everytime I include them. That's one folder. I also have one other folder that is in the public area. Again I don't want to have to type the path everytime.

Thanks.