Changes in the context of the national educational enterprise that influence federal education information dissemination policy and programs are discussed. Education issues claiming the attention of educators, policymakers, and the general public are identified as the first area of contextual change. Two issues currently of public concern--the need to restore excellence to our schools and the growing problem of students at risk--are shown to influence the content and methods of dissemination. The view of school-based professionals held by policymakers and the use of knowledge gained through the experience and research of disseminators are also discussed as issues framing the context of federal information dissemination. ERIC and the regional laboratory program are cited as examples of ways in which knowledge from research and practice shapes dissemination policy. The second broad area of contextual change is identified as changes in technology, and the effects of these changes on federal dissemination are examined. A discussion of how federal dissemination influences the educational context follows, and it is concluded that context influences policy and policy influences context. Nine references and a list of participants at the 1988 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Symposium on Federal Programs in Educational Dissemination are included. (MES)