Information forms were sent to the state department of education, the 20 instructional materials laboratories, and 1,096 trade and technical teachers to secure data on the status, preparation, distribution and use of instructional materials. Some findings were: (1) Most state departments financially assist laboratories, (2) Few state departments use advisory committees or "clearinghouse" personnel, and few maintain liaison with commercial publishers, (3) About 70 percent of the state departments had conducted or planned to conduct evaluations of instructional materials, and 44 percent had conducted or planned to conduct institutes to train writers of instructional materials, (4) Demand for instructional materials was increasing, (5) Teachers with experience, those with degrees, and those who had taken courses in instructional materials maintained closer control over student use of the materials and were inclined to use the materials as models for developing their own materials. Recommendations include: (1) closer liaison between departments of education and laboratories, (2) approaches to minimize duplication of materials, and (3) annual publication by the Office of Education of lists of instructional materials. This Ed.D. dissertation was submitted to the University of Missouri. (JK)