Education of Children with Disabilities.

Abstract

This abstract uses graphs and text to summarize recent statistics on the education of children with disabilities based on data from the U.S. Department of Education. It reports that 12.2 percent of students enrolled in American schools in 1993-94 were officially designated as having disabilities. More than two-thirds of students have mental or emotional impairments with 51.2 percent of all students with disabilities identified as having learning disabilities, followed by speech/language impairments (21.2 percent), mental retardation (11.3 percent), and serious emotional disturbances (8.7 percent). Much smaller numbers were reported for hearing, orthopedic, visual, multiple, and disabilities. Analysis indicated that 70.4 percent of students with disabilities spend at least two-fifths of their school day attending classes with non-disabled students; students least likely to be integrated are those with mental retardation, multiple disabilities, or deaf-blindness. Data from 1991-92 indicate that 57.3 percent of students with disabilities graduate from high school with ordinary diplomas. Concerning postsecondary education, statistics from 1992-93 indicate that 6.3 percent of college undergraduates and 4.0 percent of graduate and professional students identify themselves as having a disability. A 1990 survey of former special education students found that 16.5 percent had attended college. (DB) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office f Educational Research and Improvement EDUOATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Education of Children with Disabilities by Stephen Kaye According to administrative data from the U.S. Department of Education, 5.3 million children and adolescents participate in federally supported programs for students with disabilities. This figure comprises 582,000 young children (under age 6) in preschool programs and 4.7 million students aged 6 and above attending primary and secondary schools. In all, 12.2 percent of students enrolled in American schools in the 1993-94 school year were officially designated as having disabilities. Of the 4.7 million primary and secondary students with disabilities, just over half (51.2 percent, or 2.4 million persons; see Figure 1) are identified as having learning disabilities, while most of the remaining students have speech or language impairments (21.2 perDisability Statistics Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, University of California, San Francisco Published by U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). Number 19 July 1997 More than two-thirds of students with disabilities have mental impairments or emotional conditions. cent, or 1.0 million), mental retardation (11.3 percent, or 536,000), or serious emotional disturbances (8.7 percent, or 413,000). Smaller numbers have hearing (63,000), orthopedic (56,000), or visual impairments (24,000). The remaining 215,000 students indude those identified as having multiple disabilities (108,000), other health conditions (82,000), and deaf-blindness (1,000). Taken together, emotional problems and mental impairments, including learning disabilities, affect more than twothirds (at least 71 percent) of American students identified as having disabilities. Speech and language impairments affect an additional one-fifth of students with disabilities. By contrast, only a tiny fraction (2 percent) of primary and secondary students