Critics have suggested that research on practice professions, such as teaching, and on their associated institutions could be strengthened by involving practitioners as research collaborators. As part of a larger investigation of a community-based teacher center, a study was undertaken to identify: (1) special issues inherent in a research design that stresses collaboration between practitioners and researchers; (2) differences in data and analysis as a result of practitioner involvement; and (3) differences in the "style" of research carried out by practitioners and professional researchers. The research design, and the recruitment, selection, and training procedures were modified, when needed, to allow for practitioner involvement. Four practitioners were selected and were involved in every stage of the research. Features of the practitioner research approach that were different from those of the professional researchers were: (1) acting rather than reflecting; (2) subjective involvement in the issue; (3) using everyday experience in questions and analysis; (4) using personal networks to gather data; and (5) building rapport. Practitioners brought resources and styles to research that could add important dimensions to data and analysis in some kinds of studies. Care needs to be taken that practitioners' methods do not lead the research into the nonobjective, nonrepresentational areas that some might fear. (FG)