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Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative (DVR)
ASDB Northern Region



The Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative (DVR) is a partnership between local school districts in the Phoenix metropolitan area 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 DVR 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 Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative (DVR) provides services to a small number of totally blind students and Deaf students who have severe or profound hearing losses, in general, DVR 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 Desert Valleys 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
  • Technical assistance to support the regular education program
  • Staff development



Map to Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative Administrative Office




Contact Us
Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative
8055 N. 24th Avenue, Suite 103
Phoenix, Arizona 85021

(602)544-1670 V/TTY
(602)544-1704 FAX

E-mail Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative
Bea Van Mantgem, Director



Parent Outreach Programs: Birth to Age Three

Hearing Outreach Services
E-mail Joyce Olson, Parent Outreach Supervisor for information about services in Maricopa County.



Early Childhood through Preschool

Visually Impaired Preschool (VIP)
COOP Preschool/FBC
1235 E. Harmont Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85020

(602) 331-1470
(602) 678-5803 Fax
Email Deb Herrmann, Preschool Coordinator

Website for The Foundation for Blind Children Preschool


Center for Hearing Impaired Children (CHIC) - Phoenix

1946 W. Morten
Phoenix, AZ 85021

(602) 336-6811
(602) 336-6949 Fax
Email Teri Allan, Preschool Coordinator






Last updated 11.4.2005

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Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
1200 West Speedway Blvd. Tucson, Arizona 85745
P.O. Box 85000 Tucson, Arizona 85754
Voice/TTY: (520) 770-3701 Fax: (520) 770-3003






Last updated 11.04.2005