THE HUMAN INTERACTION RESEARCH INSTITUTE STUDIED FACTORS IMPEDING AND FACILITATING THE SPREAD OF INNOVATION IN VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION. THEY STUDIED THE COMMUNICATIVE, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS KEEPING MANY REHABILITATION AGENCIES FROM DEVELOPING THEIR OWN INNOVATIONS OR FROM ADOPTING THOSE OF OTHERS. TWO STRATEGIES TO SURMOUNT THESE BARRIERS WERE DEVELOPED, EXPERIMENTALLY APPLIED, AND THEN EVALUATED. ONE INVOLVED THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW INFORMATION DISSEMINATING TECHNIQUES ABOUT A SUCCESSFUL, INNOVATIVE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO POTENTIAL USERS. THE OTHER WAS THE USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTATION WITH THE MANAGEMENT STAFFS OF FIVE WORKSHOPS WHICH COULD BE CONSIDERED AS POTENTIAL USERS OF SOME ASPECTS OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. BOTH THE NONTECHNICAL BOOKLET AND THE CONFERENCE PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN COMMUNICATING THE RESULTS OF RESEARCH AND IN STIMULATING OTHERS TO USE SOME OF THE DEMONSTRATED METHODS REPORTED TO BE EFFECTIVE. EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT CONSULTED AGENCIES TENDED TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS OF ATTAINING GOALS AND REACHED OUT MORE RECEPTIVELY FOR RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATION, AND INNOVATIONS DEVELOPED BY OTHERS THAN DID THE COMPARABLE CONTROL AGENCIES. STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS TO INNOVATION WERE PRESENTED AS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE FINDINGS. (RL)