This analysis examines regionalism in the educational research, development, and innovation (R/D&I) context with particular concern for its meaning and significance for the National Institute of Education. The purpose of the analysis is to provide an understanding of regionalism that would be of help to R/D&I policy makers. It is intended to be an overview of regionalism, not a "case" for regionalism. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 examines the educational R/D&I context for regionalism at the national, regional, and local levels. Chapter 3 examines the federal context. Chapter 4 looks at the nature and dimensions of the regional concept from several perspectives: homogeneity and diversity, regional complementarity, regionalism as a social reality and as an "in-between" area, and the relationship of a region to more local units in the region. Chapter 5 looks at various purposes that regionalism might serve and examines the relative merits of regional and nonregional approaches for accomplishing similar purposes. Chapter 6 examines how regionalism relates to each of the separate R/D&I functions. Finally, Chapter 7 looks at regionalism from a design perspective--whether to use a regional approach and, if so, what kind. (Author/IRT)