THIS REVIEW AND SYNTHESIS OF THE LITERATURE ON DISTRIBUTIVE EDUCATION INCLUDES 59 DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS WRITTEN SINCE 1930, 120 MASTERS STUDIES COMPLETED FROM 1957 THROUGH 1966, AND 71 OTHER STUDIES. TOPICS COVERED ARE (1) PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES, (2) MANPOWER NEEDS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, (3) CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, (4) EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, (5) INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND DEVICES, (6) LEARNING PROCESSES AND TEACHING METHODS, (7) STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES, (8) FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT, (9) TEACHER EDUCATION, (10) ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION, (11) EVALUATION, AND (12) RESEARCH. THE COMMENTARY ON THE STATE OF DISTRIBUTIVE EDUCATION RESEARCH IS ACCOMPANIED BY FIVE TABLES WHICH PRESENT CLASSIFICATION OF RESEARCH BY GRADUATE DEGREES, GRADUATE INSTITUTIONS, YEARS, GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS, AND SUBJECTS. THE BIBLIOGRAPHY PROVIDES A CROSS-INDEX TO THE CONTENTS. THE CONCLUSIONS WERE THAT STUDIES HAVE DOMINATED RESEARCH IN DISTRIBUTIVE EDUCATION AND THAT LITTLE USE OF TESTS HAS BEEN MADE. STATISTICAL METHODS, ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING, AND BETTER RESEARCH TECHNIQUES ARE BEING USED INCREASINGLY. USE OF EXPERIMENTAL METHODS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TESTS DESIGNED TO MEASURE SPECIFIC EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES ARE RECOMMENDED. (SL)