Although originally developed in terms of interpersonal systems, the coorientational strategy model can be modified and used for research on the communication of collectivities. The proposed changes to the coorientational framework would permit examination of constructs of greater verisimilitude to theoretical reasoning of the behavior and cognition of members of groups and collectivities, as well as enable more flexible analyses of constructs associated with groups larger than the dyad. To test these proposed changes, subjects, 1,233 residents of a predominantly rural area of the northeastern United States and a comparable area in Ontario, Canada, were interviewed on their perceptions and knowledge of the topical concern of acid rain. Results suggest that while the coorientational framework has been readily adapted by researchers investigating groups and collectivities, the interpersonal nature of the model's origin has not been modified to take account of the nature of the relationship of the individual to the collective. The applicability of the model to current public opinion research is also readily apparent. Results also suggest that the perceptual accuracy may not lie solely within the realm of the perceiver, but, as common sense would dictate, the communicator has a fairly large role in affecting accuracy. (One figure and six tables of data are included, and an appendix of variables of theoretical interest in the collective coorientation model and 43 references are attached.) (MS)