The document presents findings of a search of research literature in the area of arts and the handicapped published between 1971 and 1981. The literature search addresses the various art forms of visual art, drama, music, and dance/movement as well as the major handicapping conditions: mental retardation, hearing impairments, speech handicaps, visual impairments, emotional or behavioral disturbances, physical disabilities, and learning disabilities. The first section contains abstracts of 53 articles. Abstracts range in length from one to three pages and usually include the following information: purpose of the study and hypotheses, type of subjects, selection and assignment to experimental and control groups, methodology and research design, instrumentation and intervention strategies (experimental treatments), results (including relevant statistical findings), and conclusions. Among the specific topics covered by the research cited are an art based remediation program for learning disabled children, effects of music on performance of manual tasks by retarded females, music therapy in the treatment of autistic children, motor creativity of preschool deaf children, and the effects of sociodramatic activities on social interaction among behaviorally disordered preschoolers. The document concludes with a section listing 30 dissertations on arts and the handicapped. (SW)