Through a review of development literature, this paper examines the changes that have occurred in thinking about the role of communication in developing nations. The first section of the paper surveys the theories of the past, including those of the neo-classical and Marxist scholars. The section also looks at the emergence of the dependency theory, examines paradigms as research complexes, and discusses theory and practice gaps in communications. The second section of the paper looks to the future and to an integration of theory and practice. Among the topics discussed in this section are (1) the meaning of communication in development; (2) development priorities of the 1980s; (3) Third World communication priorities and expectations in the 1980s, including the role of the new technologies in development, new communication and cultural policies, and alternatives for democratization and participation; (4) potential areas of change in communication, including the organization of people, areas of rural need, and communication technologies and rural development; and (5) new paradigms and practices in the 1980s. (FL)