The delivery of special education and related services to identified handicapped learners is often a complex and expensive task. Local education agencies (LEAs) are responsible for providing a free appropriate public education to those learners, but have available to them varied options for service delivery. When there are few handicapped learners of a particular category, such as with the lowincidence handicapped, or when there are limited resources, the LEA may decide to deliver services through a regional special education program (RSEP).

The Virginia Department of Education (SEA) has encouraged LEAs to become involved in RSEPs because of their potential for providing quality programs at reduced costs to the low-incidence handicapped. By 1985-86, there were nine RSEPs formally recognized by the SEA involving 51 LEAs in the state. To date, no comprehensive study has been conducted regarding the status of RSEPs in Virginia. Such studies had been used in other states to guide policy formation and program planning. The lack of available descriptive data about RSEPs has made planning increasingly difficult for participants of RSEPs and for SEA officers.

The author collected data along the dimensions of the four central characteristics of RSEP programs i.e., legal framework, organization, services, and financial factors, as were identified by Stephens (1979a). The data collection methods were also based on Stephens' RSEP studies in other states. The present author's methods included on-site visitations, investigations of SEA and RSEP files, RSEP surveys sent by mail to 168 RSEP participants and SEA officials, and interviews with about one-third of the participants.

Results indicated that Virginia's RSEPs were cooperative education associations of voluntarily participating LEAs. Most participants agreed that there was a need for additional clarification of SEA Regulations regarding RSEPs. Organizational structures were very similar among the regional programs; services, staffing patterns, and service delivery systems were varied. Participants were satisfied with the quality of services offered but desired regional programs to offer additional services for certain handicapped groups which were not being served in RSEPs. Factors which participants noted that could be inhibiting RSEP growth in Virginia included: SEA regulations prohibiting RSEP building construction and insufficient finances from the SEA for RSEPs. Funding was mainly provided by state and local sources, but there was disagreement among RSEP participants and SEA officials regarding the adequacy of state funding, and state funding mechanisms for RSEPs. The author recommended that communications be increased between SEA officials and RSEP personnel for greater accountability and better planning capabilities.