The monograph evaluates the methodological quality and the policy utility of research in the area of rehabilitation of the handicapped. Analysis was based on a multidisciplinary review of 477 sample reports from more than 4,000 screened project reports. Chapter 1 delineates the nature of the study; Chapter 2 reviews the Federal/State rehabilitation program. Current emphasis in rehabilitation is a primary refocus on physically/mentally handicapped with a peripheral focus on culturally/socially disadvantaged. Chapter 3 discusses the historical development of rehabilitation. A group of chapters follow which review and synthesize rehabilitation research in a number of disciplines or areas: social work, behavior modification, adolescents, public offenders, special education, vocational education, psychiatric rehabilitation, correlates of success and prediction of outcomes, organizational variables, cost-benefit, and research quality. A concluding section details the findings and their implications. Only a small percentage of the reports were of sufficient methodological quality to be rated at the upper end of the scale. No specific method or technique was shown to be consistently better than another. A system is needed that provides a simple, straightforward, and clearly designed format for proposal review and selection. (A subject index is provided.) (EA)