There is limited data available regarding students with disabilities in post-secondary education. As a result, the following statistics may contradict each other, may not seem up-to-date, or may contain vague language.
Numbers of Students:
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The percentage of first-time, full-time freshmen reporting disabilities has increased significantly since the later 1970s. In 1991, 8.8% of all freshmen reported having some types of disability, compared with 2.6% in 1978. In 1995, 9% of first-year students reported at least one disability.
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With regard to learning disabilities, the proportion of freshmen with disabilities citing learning disabilities increased from 15% in 1985 to 25% in 1991.
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A 1998 study reported that the high school graduation rates of students with disabilities have increased from 67% to 74%. Additionally, the number of students going to college has tripled for students with disabilities.
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11% of undergraduates reported having a disability in 2003–2004. Among those students, 25% reported an orthopedic condition, 22% reported a mental illness or depression, and 17% reported a health impairment. Women were more likely than men to report mental illness/depression and health impairments, while men were more likely to report attention deficit disorders.
Freshmen with Disabilities (1991):
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Freshmen with disabilities were more likely to be male and older than non-disabled students.
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Freshmen with disabilities most frequently reported sight and learning disabilities, with about 25% reporting each type.
- Freshmen with disabilities expected to take longer than the normal time to complete their degrees and were more likely to select a college based on its special program offerings.
- Freshmen with learning disabilities were most likely to be enrolled in two-year campuses (59%), while 40% were enrolled at universities and four-year colleges.
- Freshmen with disabilities were more likely to come from lower-income families and less likely to have received financial assistance from their families than non-disabled students. In addition, disabled freshmen were less likely to contribute savings from summer work the previous summer.
Additional Statistics:
Sources:
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