Major findings are presented of a national comparative study with two primary objectives: first, to identify performance of rural special education service delivery systems prior to the 1975 enactment of Public Law (PL) 94-142 and again during the 1979-1980 school year in providing a free, appropriate education for all handicapped children, with appropriate parental involvement and support; and second, to identify facilitating and hindering factors which operate to determine the success or failure of district/cooperative compliance with PL 94-142. Data represent responses from administrators and educators from 43 special education cooperative and 32 school districts in 17 states via 2-day site visits and telephone interviews. Results deal with various categories of handicapped students identified and served; alternate instructional arrangements, roles, and responsibilities; diagnostic, vocational, and other services; changes in organizational structures; interagency agreements for services; and major problems (i.e. qualified staff recruitment/retention, funding inadequacies, and providing appropriate and continuous inservice). Performance improvements in rural special education programming and services are termed phenomenal. A national initiative for a rural teacher education program and more federal funding are deemed necessary to ameliorate many of the barriers to full implementation of PL 94-142 in rural schools. (AN)