Oklahoma's Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) initiative was developed to meet requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. CSPD compensates for the state's geographic diversity through regionalization, which allows a grassroots approach to determining preservice and inservice training activities for special education teachers that are unique to the needs of each region but support a unified vision and strategic plan. The Southern region's activities exemplify the rural focus. The region comprises the southern half of Oklahoma, is the largest region in the state, and has only one metropolitan area. Quarterly meetings rotate around the region and highlight a facility or program of interest, with a flexible schedule to allow for travel time. The region's three main priorities include increasing the supply of teachers and ancillary staff to serve students with low-incidence disabilities, formalizing methods of cross-group/agency information exchanges, and including higher education in its initiatives and efforts. Three task forces have addressed these priorities by conducting training workshops for teacher assistants for visually and hearing impaired students; developing a professional development newsletter; and coordinating annual workshops on collaboration, co-teaching, special education law, and discipline. East Central University, the state department of education, the Oklahoma School for the Blind, and other agencies have collaborated on these efforts. The potential for replication of this initiative in other rural states is discussed. (TD)