Southwest Regional Cooperative - SWR

The Southwest Regional (SWR) Cooperative is a partnership between local school districts in southwest Arizona and ASDB. The goal of the partnership is to provide appropriate educational programs and services for students with sensory impairments. The joint efforts of the local school and the SWR Cooperative help students who are deaf, blind, hearing impaired or visually impaired succeed in the general education environment.

Meeting Student Needs

ASDB's Regional Cooperative Programs do not duplicate the services provided at the ASDB site-based programs (Tucson Campus of ASDB and The Phoenix Day School for the Deaf). Instead, the Regional Cooperatives augment and expand the delivery of specialized educational services to sensory impaired students throughout Arizona. Not all sensory impaired students need the services or environment of a special school; with appropriate supplementary aids, services and accommodations, many sensory impaired students can be successful in their regular public school programs.

Referrals to any of ASDB's educational programs must occur in accordance with Arizona Department of Education requirements and state statutes; referrals to any of ASDB's programs must go through the student's home school district special education office. Placement decisions are made by a student's IEP team which determines the student's educational needs and considers the full array of placement options to determine the least restrictive environment where the student's educational needs can be addressed and met. Although the Southwest Regional Cooperative (SWR) provides services to a small number of totally blind students and Deaf students who have severe or profound hearing losses, in general, SWR provides services to visually impaired students who have some vision, and to hearing impaired students who have mild to moderate hearing losses. Totally blind students and Deaf students with severe or profound hearing losses generally need more intensive services, and in general are educated at ASDB's site-based campuses (ASDB Tucson Campus and The Phoenix Day School for the Deaf [PDSD]). However, each IEP team makes the placement decision based on the individual needs of each particular student.

Services of the Southwest Regional Cooperative

Assistance with identification of sensory impaired students

Evaluation of the educational implications of the sensory impairment

Specialized instruction and related services for sensory impaired students

Specialized equipment and materials

Implement accommodations and modifications in the general education program

Staff development for general education teachers