Fifteen years' experience of conducting politically controversial statewide research on rural/small school and Alaska Native educational issues in Alaska forms the background of this paper, which identifies practical strategies for gaining access to sites and data, developing support for research enterprises, and communicating information in ways that do not alienate the decision-makers the researcher is trying to influence. Steps recommended for the exploratory phase of research are identifying stakeholders, gaining the confidence of stakeholders by personally asking for their advice; and collaborating with practitioners or establishing a steering committee which includes them. Strategies suggested for the research design phase include framing research questions in non-threatening ways; keeping scientific validity as well as human credibility in mind; and creating a dissemination plan. Practices to aid in research dissemination include communicating preliminary results personally to stakeholders, using a mix of media (news articles, radio, television documentaries, slide shows, linking agents) to publicize findings, communicating findings in easily digested/discussed small pieces, tailoring reports to the audience, and repeating the message many times to create an impact. The paper cautions that, despite efforts to gain support for the research and to communicate the findings, it may well have little direct, observable impact on practical decisions. This does not, however, mean that the research has not been useful. (NEC)