Coordinating Unitr; *Resource Centers; Shared Resources and Services IDENTIFIERS *Regional Educational Laboratories

The five Education Department (ED) programs described in this paper provide services that are like those of Regional Education Laboratories in some ways, and unlike them in others. The laboratories are expected to achieve efficiencies by providing most of their help indirectly, by working "with and through " other agencies and organizations engaged in work related to educational improvement. Descriptions of the five ED programs include each program's funding level, purpose, activities, clientele, and requirements for coordination with other aervice providers and for evaluation. The review indicates that indirect service as practiced by the Regional Educational Laboratories appears to be a unique phenomenon in ED'q technical assistance activities. The other assistance programs typically touch base with some other assistance-oriented agency, most often a State Education Agency; they coordinate their work with that of others (chiefly to avoid duplication of services); and they may achieve efficiencies by training trainers or identifying and disseminating models. An analysis of these and other contrasts between the laboratories and ED's other assistance programs is presented. (JD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. tr) C.3b; LABORATORY POLICY PAPE