<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND - CLASS D
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> FEB-28-2001
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-2000
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<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,207,907,846
<RECEIVABLES> 16,545,313
<ASSETS-OTHER> 32,367
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,224,485,526
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> (65,390,694)
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> (2,047,833)
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> (67,438,527)
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 390,753,791
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 341,788
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 553
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 35,513,108
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 730,780,100
<NET-ASSETS> 21,570,379
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 1,379,205
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (9,486,253)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (8,107,048)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 78,386,411
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 586,436,265
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 656,715,628
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (241,781)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 839,942
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (503,074)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 4,367
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 829,433,365
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 144,343,835
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (4,470,746)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (9,486,253)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 3,311,395
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 23.20
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.35)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 43.19
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (2.93)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 63.11
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.18
</TABLE>
