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Society and Culture > Education > Elementary and High School Education

Students with Disabilities

In 1998–1999, 6 million children (ages 0 to 21), or about 13% of public school children, were enrolled in special education programs. Slowly increasing numbers and proportions of children are being served in programs for the disabled. During the 1990–1991 school year, 11% of students were served in these programs compared with 13% in 1998–1999. Some of the rise since 1990–1991 may be attributed to the increasing proportion of children identified as learning disabled, which rose from 5% of enrollment to 6% of enrollment in 1998–1999.

	Percent of all students served by federally supported programs for students with disabilities¹
Type of disability	1976–1977	1980–1981	1990–1991	1995–1996	1999–2000	2000–2001	2001–2002
All disabilities	8.32%	10.14%	11.55%	12.43%	13.21%	13.34%	13.34%
Specific learning disabilities	1.80	3.58	5.17	5.75	6.04	6.02	5.97
Speech or language impairments	2.94	2.86	2.39	2.28	2.30	2.30	2.27
Mental retardation	2.17	2.03	1.30	1.27	1.28	1.27	1.24
Emotional disturbance	0.64	0.85	0.95	0.98	1.00	1.00	1.00
Hearing impairments	0.20	0.19	0.14	0.15	0.15	0.15	0.15
Orthopedic impairments	0.20	0.14	0.12	0.14	0.15	0.15	0.15
Other health impairments	0.32	0.24	0.13	0.30	0.54	0.62	0.71
Visual impairments	0.09	0.08	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.05	0.05
Multiple disabilities	—	0.17	0.23	0.21	0.24	0.26	0.27
Deaf–blindness	—	(²)	(²)	(²)	(²)	(²)	(²)
Developmental delay	—	—	—	—	0.04	0.06	0.09
Autism and traumatic brain injury	—	—	—	0.09	0.17	0.20	0.25
Preschool disabled³	(⁴)	(⁴)	0.95	1.21	1.24	1.25	1.28

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals. (—) = not available.

1. Based on the enrollment in public schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, including a relatively small number of prekindergarten students. Includes students ages 3 to 21.

2. Less than .05%.

3. Includes preschool children ages 3 to 5.

4. Included in count by specific disability.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National Center for Education Statistics. From Digest of Education Statistics 2003.

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