The purpose of this document is to encourage collaboration in research and development in postsecondary education through providing increased understanding of the diversity of contributions from professional educational researchers, teachers, librarians, and other school personnel. Emphasis is placed on the role of the educational practitioner, as compared to the professional researcher. Different traditions and practices are described, along with relevant information. Practitioners are presented with examples of various research processes in terms of their stages: planning, investigating, and influencing. Suggestions are made for cross-sector collaborative research, overcoming differing priorities, and bridging various sources of knowledge. (Ranges of skill and expertise enhance the research process and make necessary a type of hybrid or systems-oriented project manager. The result of research inclusiveness is practitioner capacity building and a richer pool of research that benefits education theory.) One figure and two case studies are included. Sidebars list samples of: research projects; needs analyses; specification issues; collaborative initiatives; capacity building programs; and combined resource projects. The bibliography lists 59 references. (AJ)