Developing countries in Asia and the Pacific are undergoing a critical period in rural development. As part of a plan for integrated rural development, education has shifted its priorities to equalizing access to educational opportunities and improving quality of instruction. Representatives from Bangladesh, China, India, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Thailand held a Study Group Meeting aimed at identifying causes of educational underdevelopment in rural areas and related issues. The group attributed the educational underdevelopment of the rural areas to the following major causes: (1) poverty combined with cultural, social, religious, and political factors affecting education in different geographical conditions; (2) transportation and communication factors; (3) population explosion; (4) language difficulties; (5) inadequate emphasis on rural development in educational policy, planning, and management; (6) inadequate provision of educational services due to disparities in educational opportunities and inefficient or inadequate physical facilities and materials; (7) irrelevance of the curriculum to the rural environment and needs; (8) low quality of teaching due to low professional competence, experience, incentives, and motivation, lack of teacher support services, lack of materials; and (9) lack of parental or community support. The report describes the participating countries' experiences in rural educational development, and also includes a review of the participating countries' innovative approaches to providing education in rural areas, an analysis of selected innovative approaches, a proposed regional plan of action, and recommendations for the improvement of education in rural areas. Appendices include the agenda of the meeting and a list of participants. (ALL)