An indepth study was performed to assess the present status of dissemination in the Education Division of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, to develop a conceptual framework that would provide a rational base for a dissemination policy, and to recommend an organizational plan for the management of the dissemination activity within the division. The methods used included interviews with key persons; review of legislation, policy statements, and literature on dissemination and on business marketing organizations; analysis of dissemination practices of six selected federal programs; and analysis of dissemination program functions, products, targets, methods, and purposes. It was found that in the legislation dissemination was not precisely defined, overlapping roles had been assigned to the National Institute of Education (NIE) and the Office of Education (OE), and directives were confused and contradictory. NIE was found to have developed a comprehensive approach to dissemination based on a state capacity-building strategy, while OE has permitted a variety of bureau and division initiatives to obscure opportunities for an agencywide dissemination strategy. In addition, attempts to resolve the confusion and overlap have been unsatisfactory; research has learned more about dissemination models than about the improvement of dissemination practice. These findings are reported, accompanied by extensive documentation and charts, along with other results of this extensive survey. (JY)