Compile problems on Debian (Sarge) / Linux 2.6.8

[Brandon Kuczenski]

I am trying to compile the Arla (version 0.36.2) kernel module on my
system (as described above) from the arla-modules-source package from my
distribution.  I run into the following problem: the Makefile
/usr/src/modules/arla/nnpfs/linux/kernel-source-tree/Makefile
is a symlink to Makefile.my, which doesn't exist, causing the compiler to
fail:

<from compiler output:>
....
cd /usr/src/linux && \
tar -c $(find . -name Kconfig'*') | \
tar -x -C /usr/src/modules/arla/nnpfs/linux/kernel-source-tree.tmp
cd /usr/src/linux && \
tar -c init scripts Makefile arch .config include Module.symvers | \
tar -x -C /usr/src/modules/arla/nnpfs/linux/kernel-source-tree.tmp
mv kernel-source-tree.tmp kernel-source-tree
/usr/bin/make -C kernel-source-tree SUBDIRS=/usr/src/modules/arla/nnpfs/linux/kbuild-work modules
make[3]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/arla/nnpfs/linux/kernel-source-tree'
make[3]: Makefile: No such file or directory
make[3]: *** No rule to make target `Makefile'.  Stop.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/arla/nnpfs/linux/kernel-source-tree'
make[2]: *** [kbuild] Error 2
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/arla/nnpfs/linux'
make[1]: *** [build-stamp] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/arla'
Module /usr/src/modules/arla failed.
Hit return to Continue

EOF


In the arla source directory, INSTALL file, there is mention that the
kernel source tree must be writable "in places" so that symlinks can be
created -- is this related?  The INSTALL file does not specify where the
links are needed.

I have built the kernel myself, so I assume the kernel source tree is
complete (though it may not be).

How can I complete the compile?  Any guidance is appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Brandon