This paper describes the results of a study conducted by the Center for Educational Research and Innovation regarding language policies and programs in five countries which belong to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development: Canada, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and West Germany. Part I explains the study's focus on language diversity and how it is addressed within the educational systems of the countries studied. It is assumed that the role ascribed to language is a key one to a better understanding of the position of various cultural groups in a society. The study methodology and content are described. (A set of simultaneous case studies were taken, each developed according to a common frame of reference.) Part II discusses the distinctions drawn between each country for the purpose of analysis: historical and ecological considerations; geographical boundedness versus dispersal; time the special population has been within the national boundaries; government policy on culture and language; the permanence/impermanence of the language/cultural minority group; and governmental policymaking (centralized versus decentralized). In Part III, the data from all five countries are analyzed collectively in relation to three themes--organization, finance, and governance. A postscript reiterates that language and literacy policies accurately reflect social and political conditions. A concluding section recommends areas for further study. (KH)