<< I'm looking for a setting so that I don't have to change all of the desktop settings each time I create a new user. >>
What settings are you referring to? Resolutions settings? Icon placements? Backgrounds?
I have never used XP before, but I know that you could probably pull this off in 2K. You could go to /winnt/profiles/default...I think. Change this desktop to whatever icons you would like in this folder and it SHOULD be good to go. Again, I have never used XP, so this is all in theory.