THE WESTERN INTERSTATE COMMISSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE MONTANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION CONDUCTED A NATIONAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES IN SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS. THIS PUBLICATION EMBODIES THE CONFERENCE'S RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS. FORTY-SEVEN PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTING RESEARCH, ADMINISTRATION, AND EDUCATION MET IN GENERAL SESSIONS AND WORKING GROUPS TO CONSIDER POSITION PAPERS ON ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION, FINANCIAL PATTERNS, PERSONNEL, AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. TRADITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURES DO NOT LEND THEMSELVES TO THE PROVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES DUE TO FACTORS OF VAST LAND AREAS, SCATTERED POPULATION, AND RELATIVELY FEW CHILDREN HAVING SPECIAL NEEDS. PATTERNS OF FINANCING SPECIAL EDUCATION RELATE TO ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION AND VARY FROM AREA TO AREA AND STATE TO STATE. PERSONNEL PROBLEMS IN RURAL AREAS ARE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF URBAN AREAS DUE TO LACK OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT, VARIABILITY OF ASSIGNMENT, REMOTENESS, AND LACK OF PREPARATION. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INCLUDING CLINICAL SERVICES, SOCIAL SERVICES, VOCATIONAL SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, AND RESEARCH TRAINING, ARE SEEN AS BEST ADMINISTERED ON A COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL CENTER BASIS. (SF)