In order to identify and develop procedures for complying with the impact requirements of Public Law 94-482, Project IMPACT studied five problems: (l) how to define impact, (2) how to assess impact, (3) how to show cause and effect relationships between research and development (R&D) activities and changes in the vocational education teaching-learning situation, (4) how to predict the probability of impact, and (5) how to facilitate the impact of R&D activities. The methods used in these studies were to review and discuss views of experts and literature related to the problems and to analyze the process of impact in selected cases of R&D activities and exemplary programs in vocational education in Illinois. This volume provides an overview of Project IMPACT as well as brief synopses of each of the case studies conducted within the two-year project. A summary of the review of literature and the views of experts regarding impact is presented. The final section of the Executive Summary presents a series of generalizations and guidelines for assessing the impact of research and development activities in vocational education. (KC)