Higher Education and Disability
Education Needs a Coordinated Approach to Improve Its Assistance to Schools in Supporting Students Gao ID: GAO-10-33 October 28, 2009Research suggests that more students with disabilities are pursuing higher education than in years past, and recent legislative changes, such as those in the Higher Education Opportunity Act and Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, have the potential to increase the number and diversity of this population. GAO was asked to examine (1) what is known about the population of postsecondary students with disabilities; (2) how postsecondary schools are supporting students with disabilities; (3) what challenges, if any, schools face in supporting these students; and (4) how the Department of Education is assisting schools in supporting these students. To conduct this work, GAO analyzed federal survey and some state data; conducted site visits; interviewed agency officials, disability experts, school officials, and students; and reviewed laws, regulations, and literature.
Students with disabilities represented nearly 11 percent of all postsecondary students in 2008, according to a federal survey. Moreover, this population appears to have grown, based on selected federal and state data. Also, in 2008, students with disabilities were similar to their peers without disabilities with regard to age, race, and the schools they attended. Students reported having a range of disabilities in 2008, and the distribution of disability types had changed since 2000. For example, the proportion of students that reported having attention deficit disorder had increased from 7 to 19 percent. Postsecondary schools use different approaches and accommodations to support students with disabilities. Schools are required to provide reasonable accommodations, such as note takers and extended time on tests, tailored to individual students' needs. Further, some schools offer enhanced or more comprehensive services than are required by law. For example, some schools GAO visited provided support on time management and study skills. Other schools offer specialized programs, such as one designed to help students with learning disabilities transition to meet college-level reading and writing requirements. Assistive technology has expanded the educational opportunities for students with disabilities. For example, voice recognition software can help students prepare papers by "talking" to the computer. Schools face a broad range of challenges in supporting students with disabilities as they transition to higher education. For example, schools face challenges in supporting students who are unaware of their rights and responsibilities regarding accommodations and in providing services that involve specialized knowledge. Another challenge schools reported was a lack of awareness among some faculty members regarding legal requirements for supporting students with disabilities. Schools also anticipate facing challenges in supporting two growing populations of postsecondary students: veterans with newly acquired disabilities and students with intellectual disabilities. Education has provided some assistance to postsecondary schools to support students with disabilities through three offices. However, the agency has no mechanism to systematically share information across offices and coordinate their technical assistance efforts. These offices--Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)--have different missions and priorities, focus on different clients, and provide different types of assistance to schools. Although OCR's primary role is enforcement, it has taken the lead in providing assistance to postsecondary schools regarding disability topics. OPE has focused its technical assistance primarily on those 47 schools that received grants in 2008 related to students with disabilities. According to OPE officials, the office does not provide broader technical assistance on disability issues because it lacks expertise in this area. School officials told GAO they need more guidance and information about serving students with disabilities.
RecommendationsOur recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.
Director: Team: Phone:GAO-10-33, Higher Education and Disability: Education Needs a Coordinated Approach to Improve Its Assistance to Schools in Supporting Students
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Report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, House of
Representatives:
United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
October 2009:
Higher Education And Disability:
Education Needs a Coordinated Approach to Improve Its Assistance to
Schools in Supporting Students:
Higher Education and Disability:
GAO-10-33:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-33],
a report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, House of
Representatives.
Why GAO Did This Study:
Research suggests that more students with disabilities are pursuing
higher education than in years past, and recent legislative changes,
such as those in the Higher Education Opportunity Act and Post-9/11
Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, have the potential to
increase the number and diversity of this population.
GAO was asked to examine (1) what is known about the population of
postsecondary students with disabilities; (2) how postsecondary schools
are supporting students with disabilities; (3) what challenges, if any,
schools face in supporting these students; and (4) how the Department
of Education is assisting schools in supporting these students. To
conduct this work, GAO analyzed federal survey and some state data;
conducted site visits; interviewed agency officials, disability
experts, school officials, and students; and reviewed laws,
regulations, and literature.
What GAO Found:
Students with disabilities represented nearly 11 percent of all
postsecondary students in 2008, according to a federal survey.
Moreover, this population appears to have grown, based on selected
federal and state data. Also, in 2008, students with disabilities were
similar to their peers without disabilities with regard to age, race,
and the schools they attended. Students reported having a range of
disabilities in 2008, and the distribution of disability types had
changed since 2000. For example, the proportion of students that
reported having attention deficit disorder had increased from 7 to 19
percent.
Postsecondary schools use different approaches and accommodations to
support students with disabilities. Schools are required to provide
reasonable accommodations, such as note takers and extended time on
tests, tailored to individual students‘ needs. Further, some schools
offer enhanced or more comprehensive services than are required by law.
For example, some schools GAO visited provided support on time
management and study skills. Other schools offer specialized programs,
such as one designed to help students with learning disabilities
transition to meet college-level reading and writing requirements.
Assistive technology has expanded the educational opportunities for
students with disabilities. For example, voice recognition software can
help students prepare papers by ’talking“ to the computer.
Schools face a broad range of challenges in supporting students with
disabilities as they transition to higher education. For example,
schools face challenges in supporting students who are unaware of their
rights and responsibilities regarding accommodations and in providing
services that involve specialized knowledge. Another challenge schools
reported was a lack of awareness among some faculty members regarding
legal requirements for supporting students with disabilities. Schools
also anticipate facing challenges in supporting two growing populations
of postsecondary students: veterans with newly acquired disabilities
and students with intellectual disabilities.
Education has provided some assistance to postsecondary schools to
support students with disabilities through three offices. However, the
agency has no mechanism to systematically share information across
offices and coordinate their technical assistance efforts. These
offices”Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, and Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)”
have different missions and priorities, focus on different clients, and
provide different types of assistance to schools. Although OCR‘s
primary role is enforcement, it has taken the lead in providing
assistance to postsecondary schools regarding disability topics. OPE
has focused its technical assistance primarily on those 47 schools that
received grants in 2008 related to students with disabilities.
According to OPE officials, the office does not provide broader
technical assistance on disability issues because it lacks expertise in
this area. School officials told GAO they need more guidance and
information about serving students with disabilities.
What GAO Recommends:
To improve access to quality higher education for students with
disabilities, GAO recommends that the Secretary of Education develop
and implement a coordinated approach to optimize agency resources and
knowledge in providing technical assistance to postsecondary schools in
supporting students with disabilities. Education agreed with our
recommendation and plans to create a work group to develop and
implement a coordinated approach to providing technical assistance.
View [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-33] or key
components. For more information, contact George Scott at (202) 512-
7215 or scottg@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Contents:
Letter:
Background:
The Population of Postsecondary Students with Disabilities Appears to
Have Increased and, Demographically, Closely Mirrors Students without
Disabilities:
Schools Use Different Approaches and Accommodations to Support Students
with Disabilities:
Schools Face a Broad Range of Challenges in Supporting Students with
Disabilities, and New Challenges Are Likely to Emerge as the Population
Changes:
Various Education Offices Provide Assistance to Schools but Lack a
Coordinated Approach:
Conclusions:
Recommendation for Executive Action:
Agency Comments and Our Evaluation:
Appendix I: Technical Appendix:
Appendix II: Data on Students with Disabilities:
Appendix III: Postsecondary Schools, Associations, and Experts
Interviewed:
Appendix IV: Postsecondary Schools That Received Education Grants to
Support Students with Disabilities in FY 2008:
Appendix V: Comments from the Department of Education:
Appendix VI: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments:
Tables:
Table 1: Examples of Academic Adjustments, Auxiliary Aids, and Other
Services for Students with Disabilities with Documented Needs:
Table 2: Examples of Assistive Technology Options to Address Needs of
Students with Disabilities:
Table 3: Federal Statistical Programs That Contain Data about
Postsecondary Students with Disabilities:
Table 4: Population Estimates of Postsecondary (Undergraduate) Students
with Disabilities, NPSAS 2000, 2004, and 2008; and ACS 2007:
Table 5: Percentage Distribution of Postsecondary (Undergraduate)
Students, by Disability Status, Gender, Race & Ethnicity, Age, and
Delayed Enrollment in Postsecondary School, 2000 and 2008:
Table 6: Percentage Distribution of Postsecondary (Undergraduate)
Students, by Disability Status, among Level and Control of Schools
Attended and Attendance Patterns, 2000 and 2008:
Table 7: Percentage Distribution of Main Type of Disability among
Postsecondary (Undergraduate) Students with Disabilities, 2000, 2004,
and 2008:
Table 8: Postsecondary Schools Interviewed:
Table 9: Disability and Higher Education Associations and Experts
Interviewed:
Table 10: FY 2008 Grantees with Demonstration Projects to Ensure
Students with Disabilities Receive a Quality Higher Education Program:
Table 11: FY 2008 Grantees with Student Support Services (SSS) Projects
That Specifically Serve Students with Disabilities under the Federal
TRIO Program:
Figures:
Figure 1: Example of Process for Student to Obtain Accommodations:
Figure 2: Percentage Distribution of Postsecondary Students' Attendance
Patterns, by Disability Status, 2008:
Figure 3: Percentage Distribution of the Levels of Schools
Postsecondary Students Attended, by Disability Status, 2008:
Figure 4: Percentage Distribution of Postsecondary Students with
Disabilities by Main Type of Disability, 2000, 2004, and 2008:
Figure 5: Examples of Accommodations Provided across Campuses:
Abbreviations:
ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended:
ADD: attention deficit disorder:
ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:
ELS: Education Longitudinal Study:
HEA: Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended:
HEOA: Higher Education Opportunity Act:
IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act:
NIDRR: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research:
NLTS2: National Longitudinal Transition Study-2:
NPSAS: National Postsecondary Student Aid Study:
OCR: Office for Civil Rights:
OPE: Office of Postsecondary Education:
OSERS: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services:
PTSD: post-traumatic stress disorder:
SSA: Social Security Administration:
SSI: Supplemental Security Income:
SSS: Student Support Services:
TBI: traumatic brain injury:
VR: Vocational Rehabilitation:
[End of section]
United States Government Accountability Office:
Washington, DC 20548:
October 28, 2009:
The Honorable George Miller:
Chairman:
Committee on Education and Labor:
House of Representatives:
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Research suggests that more students with disabilities are pursuing
higher education than in years past, and recent legislative changes
have the potential to increase the diversity and numbers of these
students. More specifically, the Higher Education Opportunity
Act[Footnote 1] (HEOA) added new provisions to the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (HEA) to support postsecondary students with disabilities; the
Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008[Footnote 2] (ADA
Amendments Act) amended the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990[Footnote 3] (ADA) to provide broader coverage; and the Post-9/11
Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008[Footnote 4] (Post-9/11 GI
Bill) expanded education benefits for members and veterans of the
military who served on or after September 11, 2001, many of whom may
have acquired disabilities. Under the laws that prohibit discrimination
on the basis of disability, postsecondary schools are required to
provide equal access to education to qualified students through
academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services, such as extending
time allowed for taking tests and providing sign language interpreters.
In addition, postsecondary schools must ensure physical access to
buildings on campus. The Department of Education (Education) is
responsible for enforcing postsecondary schools' compliance with
disability laws.
Given your interest in this population and how these students are
supported, we examined: (1) what is known about the population of
postsecondary students with disabilities; (2) how postsecondary schools
are supporting students with disabilities; (3) what challenges, if any,
postsecondary schools face in supporting students with disabilities;
and (4) how the Department of Education is assisting postsecondary
schools in supporting the needs of these students.
To answer question one, we reviewed federal data sources and identified
10 surveys or studies with relevant information on students with
disabilities (see app. I). For each data source, we determined the
purpose of the study or survey, its design parameters, and the focus of
questions and variables related to students with disabilities. We
conducted a more in-depth analysis of data from four of these sources
to report descriptive statistics. We selected these four sources
because they contain detailed information about students with
disabilities participating in higher education and they represent a
range of data collection methodologies and estimates. We relied heavily
on one source, Education's National Postsecondary Student Aid Study
(NPSAS), because it specifically focuses on the population of
postsecondary students and affords the opportunity to look at changes
in the population over time. All of the estimates from the national
data bases are from samples and have sampling errors associated with
them. The percentages from the states are for the populations within
those states. To answer questions two and three, we conducted site
visits to 14 postsecondary schools, where we interviewed school
disability officials and students and conducted telephone interviews
with officials from 11 more schools. During our school site visits, we
obtained information on schools' efforts pertaining to students with
disabilities and these students' experiences, collected documentation
of schools' relevant policies and procedures, observed different types
of accommodations, and toured the schools' assistive technology
laboratories. We selected these 25 schools because they offered a wide
range or high levels of services to students with disabilities, and
they represented institutional variety in terms of geographic location,
public and private institutions (including proprietary schools), 2-year
and 4-year schools, and schools that have participated in Education's
demonstration grant projects involving students with disabilities. We
focused on schools that serve a broad range of students and therefore
we did not include schools designed exclusively for students with
disabilities. In addition, we did not focus on programs and services
that are designed specifically for students with intellectual
disabilities. We relied on suggestions from disability associations,
experts, school officials, Education officials, and reference
literature in identifying schools. To supplement the student interviews
conducted during site visits, we interviewed representatives of
national groups for students with disabilities. We also reviewed
relevant federal statutory and regulatory requirements and legal
articles and interviewed representatives of national disability and
higher education associations to collect information about how schools
support students with disabilities. To answer question four, we
interviewed Education officials and reviewed policies, procedures, and
other documentation related to Education's grant programs, technical
assistance, research, and enforcement of laws pertaining to
postsecondary students with disabilities.
We conducted this performance audit from July 2008 to October 2009, in
accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Those
standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our
findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that
the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and
conclusions based on our audit objectives.
Background:
Legal Requirements Regarding Postsecondary Schools Supporting Students
with Disabilities:
Postsecondary schools are prohibited from discriminating against
students on the basis of disability under two federal laws. Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act) prohibits
entities that receive federal financial assistance, which includes
institutions of higher education, from discriminating against otherwise
qualified individuals with disabilities.[Footnote 5] The Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990[Footnote 6] (ADA) also protects individuals
with disabilities from discrimination and covers a broader range of
schools. Whereas the Rehabilitation Act applies to schools that receive
federal funds, the ADA applies to state and locally funded and private-
sector schools, with the exception of those that are controlled by
religious entities. The Rehabilitation Act and ADA define individuals
with disabilities as an individual who has a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities,
has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an
impairment.[Footnote 7] The ADA Amendments Act rejected several Supreme
Court decisions which had narrowed the definition of an individual with
disabilities. In addition, the ADA Amendments Act set out guidelines
for determining who qualifies as an individual with disabilities and
provided a non-exhaustive list of "major life activities," which
includes learning, reading, concentrating, and thinking.
Federal regulations implementing the Rehabilitation Act in the context
of postsecondary education provide that qualified students may not be
subjected to discrimination in recruitment or admissions to
postsecondary institutions. Also, they may not be excluded from
participation in, or denied the benefits, services, or aid related to
academic programs, research opportunities, occupational training,
housing, health insurance, counseling, financial aid, physical
education, athletics, recreation, transportation, other extracurricular
activities, or other postsecondary education programs.[Footnote 8] The
regulations also further outline the categories of academic adjustments
(e.g., extended time on tests and reduced course load) and auxiliary
aids and services (e.g., notetakers and sign language interpreters),
commonly referred to as accommodations, that schools must provide to
ensure that qualified students with disabilities can participate in
higher education. However, laws and regulations cannot address the
specific accommodations a school must provide for each student with a
disability. Instead, these depend on the limitations of each student's
disability and take into account factors like where the student's
classes will be held and the academic requirements of the chosen course
of study on a case-by-case basis.
While schools are required to provide reasonable accommodations to
qualified students and bear the costs, schools are not required to
provide accommodations that would fundamentally alter the nature of a
program, lower or waive essential academic requirements, or result in
undue financial or administrative burdens.[Footnote 9] Also, schools
are not required to provide personal devices and services, such as
wheelchairs or attendants, individually prescribed devices (e.g.,
eyeglasses), tutoring, or readers for personal use or study.[Footnote
10]
Students with disabilities beginning higher education face a different
situation regarding their rights and responsibilities than they did
during their elementary and secondary education. Under the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act[Footnote 11] (IDEA), states and school
districts must identify, locate, and evaluate children who may have a
disability and provide special education and related services to
eligible children and youth with disabilities. The Rehabilitation Act
regulations governing elementary and secondary education also require
that children with disabilities be identified, located, and evaluated.
However, unlike in elementary and secondary school, it is the
responsibility of postsecondary students to identify themselves as
having a disability, provide documentation of their disability, and
request accommodations and services. Although the general procedure for
obtaining accommodations is often similar across schools, the
particular steps of the process may vary among postsecondary schools.
(See fig. 1 for example.)
Figure 1: Example of Process for Student to Obtain Accommodations:
[Refer to PDF for image: chart of information]
A student may need to:
* Register with the Disability Services Office;
* Work with the Disability Services Office to determine what
accommodations are available and may be needed;
* Provide recent and appropriate documentation of disability:
– may need to visit a qualified professional for documentation;
– may need additional disability testing;
* Request accommodations at the Disability Services Office;
* In some cases, take an accommodations letter to each professor and
discuss needed accommodations;
Source: GAO, Art Explosion (images).
[End of figure]
Postsecondary schools are required to have an individual who
coordinates the school's compliance with the Rehabilitation Act and
ADA. The school must also have grievance procedures that include steps
to ensure a student can raise concerns fully and fairly and provide for
the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints.
Federal Agency Responsibilities:
Education is responsible for enforcing the Rehabilitation Act, Title II
of ADA, and various other anti-discrimination laws.[Footnote 12] The
Department of Justice (Justice) delegated to Education responsibility
for investigating complaints relating to elementary, secondary, and
postsecondary schools under Title II of the ADA, which applies to
public entities.[Footnote 13] Justice is responsible for enforcing
Title III of ADA to ensure that private entities, including private
colleges and universities, provide appropriate accommodations and do
not discriminate on the basis of disability. Justice and Education
share enforcement jurisdiction if a private school receives federal
funding. Justice also has jurisdiction pertaining to testing entities,
such as for college admissions tests and law and medical school exams.
Education's strategic plan includes objectives to increase success in,
and completion of, quality postsecondary education and to prepare
individuals with disabilities for higher education. To carry out this
mission, Education provides technical assistance, funding for grants,
and regulatory guidance. Education's Office of Postsecondary Education
(OPE) is responsible for formulating federal postsecondary education
policy and administering programs that support its mission to increase
access to quality postsecondary education. In addition, Education's
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is
responsible for providing a wide array of supports to parents and
individuals, school districts, and states in three main areas--special
education, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and research--to help
prepare students for postsecondary education.[Footnote 14] Education's
Office for Civil Rights (OCR) carries out its enforcement activities by
investigating complaints, initiating compliance reviews, monitoring the
resolution of complaints and compliance reviews, and providing
technical assistance. OCR investigates complaints it receives and
carries out its other activities with its remaining resources.
Education is also responsible for implementing new provisions in the
HEOA related to postsecondary students with disabilities.[Footnote 15]
Other federal agencies provide services and support for individuals
with disabilities, including postsecondary students.[Footnote 16] The
Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) program, a means-tested entitlement program that
provides monthly benefits to the aged, blind, or individuals with
disabilities who have very limited income and assets. SSI beneficiaries
who are under the age of 22 and regularly attending school can qualify
for the earned income exclusion, in which a certain amount of monthly
earned income is excluded for SSI benefit computation purposes. This
student earned income exclusion is intended to help defray the cost of
educational training. In addition, SSA beneficiaries may obtain a Plan
to Achieve Self Support (PASS), which allows them to set aside income
and/or assets to support efforts like higher education in the pursuit
of work goals. Further, the Department of Health and Human Services
administers the Medicaid program, which can provide medical benefits to
individuals with disabilities. Finally, the Department of Veterans
Affairs provides services and benefits to veterans with disabilities,
including VR services and student financial aid under the Post-9/11 GI
Bill.[Footnote 17]
The Population of Postsecondary Students with Disabilities Appears to
Have Increased and, Demographically, Closely Mirrors Students without
Disabilities:
In 2008, students with disabilities represented an estimated 11 percent
of all postsecondary students, and this population appears to have
grown over the past decade.[Footnote 18] According to Education's
National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), which focuses on the
characteristics of postsecondary students and how they finance their
education, the proportion of students who reported having a disability
increased from 9 percent in 2000 to 11 percent in 2004 and remained
close to that level in 2008 (see app. II, table 4).[Footnote 19],
[Footnote 20] In addition, several other sources suggest that the size
of this population has grown, which may result from the increased
proportion of elementary and secondary students who have received
special education services over the past 30 years. For example, two
states' online data systems reported increases in the number of
students with disabilities enrolled in the states' postsecondary
schools. From 1999 to 2007, California public postsecondary schools
reported an almost 20 percent increase in the number of undergraduate
students with disabilities, and New York schools reported about a 40
percent increase in the number of undergraduate and graduate students
with disabilities.[Footnote 21] Also, disability services officials at
many of the schools we visited reported that increasing numbers of
students are registering with their offices. Starting in 2009,
Education plans to annually collect another estimate of this
population's size: the percent of undergraduate students registered at
schools' disability services offices. These data, collected through
Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System survey, will
provide a new vantage point to examine the population's size.
Beyond looking at size, the portrait of students with disabilities
appears to closely mirror that of their peers without disabilities,
i.e., students who did not report having a disability, according to
2008 NPSAS data. Women represented about 57 percent of both students
with disabilities and their peers. There were some small differences
among both populations with regard to race. White students represented
67 percent of students with disabilities and 63 percent of their peers.
Conversely, Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, and Asian
students represented slightly smaller groups among students with
disabilities than among their peers (see app. II, table 5). Also in
2008, the average age of students with disabilities was about 26 years
old, or about 1 year older than their peers. This represents a
substantial change from 2000, when students with disabilities were, on
average, 30 years old and 4 years older than their peers. Moreover, in
2008 a larger proportion of postsecondary students with disabilities
than in 2000 had begun higher education relatively soon after
completing high school, as opposed to delaying by 1 or more years.
Students with disabilities and their peers were also similar in some
respects regarding the types of schools they attended--public versus
private--according to NPSAS data. Like their peers, nearly 70 percent
of students with disabilities attended public schools in 2008 (see app.
II, table 6). However, for those students who attended private schools,
students with disabilities were enrolled at proprietary (for-profit),
as opposed to not-for-profit, schools at a slightly higher rate than
their peers.
There were some small differences in attendance patterns (e.g., full-
time versus part-time) among students with disabilities and their
peers. While the majority of both groups attended school part-time and/
or for part of the year, this pattern was somewhat more prevalent among
students with disabilities (see fig. 2). One contributing factor may be
that some students' disabilities hinder them from taking as many
credits per semester as their peers, according to several disability
experts and school officials we interviewed.
Figure 2: Percentage Distribution of Postsecondary Students' Attendance
Patterns, by Disability Status, 2008:
[Refer to PDF for image: vertical bar graph]
Full-time and full year;
Students with disabilities: 35.8;
Students without disabilities: 41.3.
Part-time and/or part year;
Students with disabilities: 64.1;
Students without disabilities: 58.6.
Source: GAO analysis of NPSAS 2008.
[End of figure]
In addition, the level of schools--2-year or 4-year--is another area in
which there were some small differences among these two populations.
According to the 2008 NPSAS, students with disabilities attended 2-year
schools at a higher rate than their peers and 4-year schools at a lower
rate (see fig. 3). This relative difference was also true in the 2000
NPSAS (see app. II, table 6). Some literature suggests that community
colleges may offer more specialized services for students with
disabilities and provide better access for these students than other
types of institutions. One community college expert we interviewed said
that students with disabilities can particularly benefit from these
schools' relatively smaller classes and more personal attention from
faculty.
Figure 3: Percentage Distribution of the Levels of Schools
Postsecondary Students Attended, by Disability Status, 2008:
[Refer to PDF for image: vertical bar graph]
4-year;
Students with disabilities: 42.7;
Students without disabilities: 48.9.
2-year;
Students with disabilities: 46;
Students without disabilities: 40.8.
Less than 2-year;
Students with disabilities: 3.4;
Students without disabilities: 2.4.
Attended more than one institution;
Students with disabilities: 7.9;
Students without disabilities: 7.8.
Source: GAO analysis of NPSAS 2008.
[End of figure]
NPSAS data also showed that students reported having a wide range of
disabilities; however, the distribution of disability type has changed
in some notable ways over time (see fig. 4).[Footnote 22] In 2008, the
largest proportion of students with disabilities, 24 percent, reported
having either a mental, emotional, or psychiatric condition, or
depression. Attention deficit disorder (ADD) was the next most common
type, accounting for 19 percent of such students. With regard to
physical disabilities, 15 percent reported that they had an orthopedic
or mobility impairment. Interestingly, in the 2000 NPSAS, more than a
quarter of students reported an orthopedic or mobility impairment as
their main disability and only 7 percent cited ADD (see app. II, table
7).
Figure 4: Percentage Distribution of Postsecondary Students with
Disabilities by Main Type of Disability, 2000, 2004, and 2008:
[Refer to PDF for image: vertical bar graph]
Main type of disability: Mental, emotional or psychiatric
condition/depression;
2000: 17.1;
2004: 22.3;
2008: 24.3.
Main type of disability: Attention deficit disorder;
2000: 6.7;
2004: 11.6;
2008: 19.1.
Main type of disability: Orthopedic or mobility impairment;
2000: 29.0;
2004: 24.8;
2008: 15.1.
Main type of disability: Other;
2000: 13.2;
2004: 5.8;
2008: 15.0.
Main type of disability: Specific learning disability, dyslexia;
2000: 5.0;
2004: 7.7;
2008: 8.9.
Main type of disability: Hearing impairment;
2000: 6.8;
2004: 4.7;
2008: 6.1.
Main type of disability: Health impairment or problem;
2000: 15.1;
2004: 17.3;
2008: 5.8.
Main type of disability: Blindness or visual impairment;
2000: 5.2;
2004: 3.7;
2008: 2.7.
Main type of disability: Speech or language impairment;
2000: 0.3;
2004: 0.5;
2008: 0.7.
Main type of disability: Brain injury;
2000: 1.2;
2004: 1.0;
2008: 1.7.
Main type of disability: Developmental disability;
2000: 0.6;
2004: 0.6;
2008: 0.7.
Source: GAO analysis of NPSAS 2000, 2004, and 2008.
Note: In 2000, "mental illness/depression" was one type of disability.
In 2004 and 2008 these terms were separated into two distinct
categories. However, for the purposes of comparison with 2000 data, we
have combined these two categories in the 2004 and 2008 data.
[End of figure]
For a variety of reasons, NPSAS data on type of disability differed
from studies that have examined the population of students with
disabilities before they reached college age. According to two
longitudinal studies that began when students were in secondary school,
learning disability was the main type for about 70 percent of those who
were in postsecondary school when the data we analyzed was collected.
In contrast, in the 2008 NPSAS, fewer than 10 percent of students with
disabilities reported having a specific learning disability, such as
dyslexia. One reason for the differences is that the two studies, the
National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2)[Footnote 23] and the
Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS),[Footnote 24] were designed
for different purposes and have different populations than the NPSAS.
Also, in these studies, the school districts identified these students
and their disabilities, i.e., those who were eligible for special
education services under the IDEA. In contrast, in the NPSAS, students
self-reported whether or not they had a disability and its type.
Furthermore, in the NPSAS, students with disabilities may have chosen
not to disclose that they had a disability.
Schools Use Different Approaches and Accommodations to Support Students
with Disabilities:
Postsecondary schools provide a wide range of accommodations to
students with disabilities. These accommodations can include academic
adjustments (such as extended time on tests and a reduced course load)
and auxiliary aids or services (such as notetakers and sign language
interpreters). Several factors play a role in determining what
accommodations schools provide for individual students. Schools are
required to provide reasonable accommodations tailored to an individual
student's needs to allow equal access to higher education. The school
determines which accommodations to provide on a case-by-case basis,
based on documented needs. Such documentation generally includes a
disability diagnosis and the implications of the disability on a
student's ability to fully participate. Schools are required to assume
costs incurred for providing accommodations to students with
disabilities, unless doing so would result in an undue burden or a
fundamental alteration of the program. In addition, under federal law,
schools are required to ensure that facilities of the postsecondary
environment, such as campus buildings, student housing, physical
equipment, and transportation systems, are accessible for students with
disabilities. For example, schools may provide desks and tables sized
so that students in wheelchairs can use them. See figure 5 and table 1
for examples of academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and other
services for students with disabilities.
Figure 5: Examples of Accommodations Provided across Campuses:
[Refer PDF for image: pictures of accommodations]
Scooters to navigate a hilly campus;
Desktop magnifier;
Course materials in braille;
Wheelchair lift;
Source: GAO and PhotoDisc.
[End of figure]
Table 1: Examples of Academic Adjustments, Auxiliary Aids, and Other
Services for Students with Disabilities with Documented Needs:
Academic adjustments and auxiliary aids;
Description: Modifications to academic program requirements;
Example/situation: Allowing more time to complete a degree for students
with reading or processing learning disabilities.
Academic adjustments and auxiliary aids;
Description: Modifications to testing requirements, including allowing
more time and offering alternative test formats and locations;
Example/situation: Test taking in a distraction-free room for students
with ADD who have difficulty concentrating due to noise and activity.
Academic adjustments and auxiliary aids;
Description: Equipment, services, or modifications to the classroom
environment or course materials;
Example/situation: Peer notetakers to provide class notes for students
who are deaf or hard of hearing and converting textbooks to electronic
format for students with learning disabilities.
Academic adjustments and auxiliary aids;
Description: Computer hardware or software designed to assist
individuals with disabilities;
Example/situation: Voice recognition software that can help students
who have difficulty writing or typing assignments.
Physical accessibility;
Description: Accessible dorms or other housing to provide privacy
and/or facilitate learning for students with disabilities;
Example/situation: Chemical-free living environment for students with
chemical sensitivities.
Physical accessibility;
Description: Buildings, facilities, and equipment designed for physical
accessibility;
Example/ situation: "Push" door openers or adjustable desks for
students using wheelchairs.
Financial and employment assistance;
Description: Helping students with disabilities access scholarships,
fellowships, and other financial assistance;
Example/situation: Financial aid liaison with the disability services
office to help students understand financial aid options and processes.
Financial and employment assistance;
Description: Programs providing vocational support and guidance to
students with disabilities;
Example/situation: Internship programs for students with disabilities.
Nonacademic services;
Description: Opportunities for students with disabilities to
participate in physical education courses and athletic and intramural
teams;
Example/situation: Wheelchair basketball or "ultimate Frisbee" teams.
Nonacademic services;
Description: Specialized campus meals for those with food sensitivities
or medical conditions;
Example/situation: Gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free meals for
students with severe food allergies or celiac disease.
Nonacademic services;
Description: Groups, clubs, or events made accessible or organized for
students with disabilities;
Example/situation: Sign language interpreters or captioning at campus
events for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
Nonacademic services;
Description: Accessible modes of transportation for students with
disabilities;
Example/situation: Buses or vans with wheelchair lifts.
Source: Department of Education regulations and GAO analysis.
[End of table]
Some schools offer enhanced or more comprehensive services than are
required by law. These schools generally have a structure in place with
trained staff, such as a disability services office, to provide and
facilitate services for students with disabilities and coordinate with
faculty and other campus offices, such as counseling and academic
support centers. Enhanced services may include having specialized and
trained professionals, disability screenings and assessments,
counseling and tutoring, additional accommodations that promote the
full participation of these students in campus life, and monitoring of
student progress. For example, some school officials we interviewed
told us their schools offered a variety of workshops or courses that
addressed study skills, time management, and social interaction skills.
Other schools offered mentors and coaches for students with
disabilities to help them navigate campus culture, both academically
and socially. In addition, some schools also offer more comprehensive
accommodations to promote the full participation of students with
disabilities in campus life. For example, two schools we visited
provided on campus dorms staffed with personal attendants for students
with severe physical disabilities. In addition, one of these schools
also had an underground tunnel system that provided easy access for
students with physical disabilities to get across campus, especially in
inclement weather (see sidebar).
Sidebar:
Physical Accessibility:
[Refer to PDF for image: Wheelchair]
One university has designed its campus with an emphasis on physical
accessibility, including the construction of an underground tunnel
system that provides easy access to virtually all campus buildings and
helps students with physical disabilities access the campus in
inclement weather. The school also offers a ’physical support program“
that includes personal care assistance services and allows students to
live in any dorm on campus. This fee-based service is available to
eligible students with severe physical disabilities for daily
activities such as personal hygiene, eating, and laundry.
Source: GAO.
[End of sidebar]
Some schools also offer specialized programs to supplement academic
instruction. For example, one school we visited had established a
Learning Services Program to help students transition from secondary to
postsecondary school (see sidebar). In addition, a few schools are
designed exclusively for students with a specific type of disability,
such as Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., for deaf and hard of
hearing students and Landmark College in Vermont for students with
learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD)[Footnote 25].
In addition to supports provided by schools, some private organizations
offer personalized fee-based services, such as coaching, mentoring, and
personal advocacy to students with disabilities. Some of these groups
work in cooperation with postsecondary schools while others work
independently. For example, one private community organization provides
support, for a fee, to postsecondary students with ADD, high-
functioning autism,[Footnote 26] or a non-verbal learning disorder who
are attending one of its participating schools. This program is
specifically designed to address students' social, communication, and
organizational challenges and to help students develop individualized
strategies to manage their college careers independently.
Sidebar:
Learning Services Program for Students with Learning Disabilities:
[Refer to PDF for image: Students]
One university operates a ’Learning Services Program“ for freshmen with
learning disabilities. This program is designed to help students
transition to meet college-level reading and writing requirements. The
Learning Services Program is a small, fee-based program offering weekly
individual meetings with disability professionals, a specialized
writing course and support, and course content tutoring.
Source: GAO.
[End of sidebar]
School and association officials we interviewed emphasized the
importance of school disability services offices collaborating with
other campus offices, such as academic departments, counseling centers,
financial aid, housing, student activities, special events, and career
services, to provide the full range of services that students may need.
Such coordination and collaboration is one of the disability services
office's primary roles, according to school officials we interviewed.
For example, these offices may coordinate with the counseling center to
arrange for treatment of students with psychological disabilities. Some
schools have efforts in place to help students understand the various
sources of aid that may help pay for tuition, books, adaptive
technology, or other services. For example, the disability services
office at one school we visited employed a financial aid liaison
specifically for helping students with disabilities. According to
research and school and disability association officials we
interviewed, students with disabilities often have additional expenses
related to their disability. For example, these students may need to
pay for testing to document their disability, personal services (such
as personal care attendants), assistive equipment, transportation, and
medical expenses related to their disability. Also, these students may
take more time to finish their degree and face additional room and
board costs.[Footnote 27] Further, like all students, they may be
ineligible for the maximum amount of federal financial aid if they take
a reduced course load, withdraw from classes, or take longer to finish
their degree.[Footnote 28]
In addition, school disability services offices also coordinate with
other groups in the community to provide services for students with
disabilities. For example, disability services offices may refer
students to local VR offices that can provide postsecondary support for
individuals with disabilities in the form of funding for tuition,
books, and auxiliary aids, such as assistive technology. However, past
GAO work has found that VR agencies varied substantially in their
frequency of providing certain services, and a few students we
interviewed described inconsistencies in receiving VR funds.[Footnote
29]
Technological advances have expanded the educational opportunities for
students with disabilities. In fact, assistive technology tools are
among the most frequently provided accommodations for students with
disabilities, according to school officials we interviewed (see table
2). For example, voice recognition software can help students prepare
papers by "talking" to the computer instead of using the keyboard.
Moreover, some schools have an assistive technology specialist and/or
separate assistive technology labs on campus. In addition, to improve
faculty technology skills, some schools offer specialized training for
faculty. For example, the community college system in California has
developed a High Tech Center Training Unit that provides training to
faculty and staff of 114 community colleges to improve their skills
related to assistive computer technology, alternate media creation, and
Web accessibility.
Table 2: Examples of Assistive Technology Options to Address Needs of
Students with Disabilities:
Type of assistive technology device: Voice recognition technology (or
voice input technology);
Description: Through voice recognition technology, this software allows
a student to speak into a microphone, and the commands and text are
relayed to the computer;
Who can benefit: Students who cannot use, or cannot easily use, a
standard keyboard because of motor function, visual limitations, or
learning disabilities can input text and commands into the computer
using their voice instead of typing.
Type of assistive technology device: "Scribe pen";
Description: This handheld pen records and links class lectures and
discussions to handwritten notes taken by the student on special paper.
Students can later place the pen on the paper and play back audio of
the recorded lecture at the point notes were written;
Who can benefit: Students who need help taking notes in courses due to
mobility impairments, learning disabilities in reading, writing and
processing, ADHD, moderate hearing loss, and students with autism and
psychological disabilities can use the pen to ensure that they capture
the entire lecture and class discussion.
Type of assistive technology device: Screen readers (or voice output
screen review software);
Description: Screen readers convert words on a computer screen,
including electronic documents, e-mails and internet pages, into voice
output;
Who can benefit: Students with visual disabilities can access
information displayed on a screen by hearing what sighted students see.
Additionally, students with learning disabilities are provided auditory
reinforcement to visual learning.
Type of assistive technology device: Digital "whiteboard";
Description: This technology allows students to capture lecture
information digitally. Professors can put lecture notes, charts, and
graphs on the whiteboard, and the contents of the whiteboard are
converted into electronic form and can be viewed on a student's
personal computer;
Who can benefit: Students with visual, physical, or learning
disabilities can gain access to the exact course notes as they were
written on the board. In addition, students can rewind and replay
notes, at their own pace on their personal computer.
Type of assistive technology device: Graphic organizers and outlining
programs;
Description: This software provides visual guides for brainstorming and
organizing ideas. Students enter and arrange their ideas into a concept
map and the software converts the visual map into a text outline;
Who can benefit: Students who find it difficult to get started with the
writing process or who can be easily overwhelmed by too much
information can use this software to facilitate the process of getting
organized to write.
Type of assistive technology device: Computer screen magnifiers;
Description: Screen magnifiers fit over the computer screen monitor and
magnify images that appear on the screen;
Who can benefit: Students with visual impairments can use magnification
to see the screen.
Type of assistive technology device: Switches, trackballs, and
joysticks;
Description: These pointing or typing aids for computers and keyboards
can replace a mouse and be used to control a keyboard by any body part,
for example, the forehead or foot;
Who can benefit: Students who cannot use a standard keyboard or mouse
because of motor function can control the computer.
Source: GAO analysis.
[End of table]
Schools are also becoming more aware of the benefits of, and are
increasingly using, the universal design model in curriculum
development and delivery, according to school and association
officials. Universal design in education is based on the premise of
making learning inclusive for all students, not just those with
disabilities. It is an approach to designing all products and services
to be usable by people with the widest possible range of functional
capabilities. For example, a professor could provide course materials
using several different methods, such as by lecture, in power point
slides, and in narrative to accommodate the different learning styles
of students. Another goal of universal design is to make the
environment, such as buildings and transportation systems, accessible
to all individuals.
Schools Face a Broad Range of Challenges in Supporting Students with
Disabilities, and New Challenges Are Likely to Emerge as the Population
Changes:
Schools Face Challenges during Students' Transition to Postsecondary
School:
The transition students with disabilities face regarding their rights
and responsibilities when beginning higher education can have
implications for schools if students are not fully prepared for it.
Postsecondary schools, unlike secondary schools, are not required to
identify students with disabilities and are not responsible for
documenting students' needs. Instead, if students want disability-
related services in postsecondary school, they are responsible for
disclosing to the school that they have a disability, providing the
required documentation, and requesting accommodations and
services.[Footnote 30] Schools generally explain what documentation is
required and how current the documentation must be. However, schools
can face challenges if a student is not aware of these responsibilities
or does not understand how to obtain accommodations. Some schools have
responded to this challenge by proactively conducting outreach to
students with disabilities and their parents to explain the shift in
rights and responsibilities. For example, school officials told us they
offer "college nights" at local high schools and "summer bridge" or
orientation programs to provide information about disability services
and how to navigate the campus system. In addition, at some schools we
visited, the disability services offices had made efforts to help
students develop self-advocacy skills, such as having students
personally deliver their accommodation request forms to professors
rather than the disability services office handling this. School
officials told us that they also rely on OCR's publications and other
technical assistance related to transition issues.
A related challenge for schools is providing services to students with
disabilities who did not initially disclose their need for
accommodations. Some students choose not to disclose their disability,
even when they are aware of available services, according to school
officials and disability experts. While a student is not obligated to
inform a school that he or she has a disability, in order for the
school to provide an academic adjustment or another disability-related
service, the student must identify himself or herself as having a
disability. Any initial nondisclosure may become problematic for
schools when students disclose and request accommodations after they
fall behind academically. For example, a school may find it difficult
to provide timely accommodations to a student who disclosed a visual or
learning disability in the middle of a semester because of the time
required to convert text books into electronic format. School and
disability group officials told us that some students choose not to
register with the disability services office and request accommodations
for a variety of reasons. For example, they said some students,
especially those with "hidden" disabilities, such as learning
disabilities, are reluctant to disclose because they want a fresh start
in higher education without the label of having a disability.
Providing the Range of Services Needed Poses Challenges to Schools:
Schools face challenges in acquiring and providing some services for
students with disabilities, in particular, those services that involve
specialized knowledge and resource-intensive accommodations. School and
disability association officials told us that recent increases in
specific populations of students with disabilities, for example, those
with psychological disabilities (such as bipolar and anxiety disorder),
autism, or chronic medical conditions (such as cancer or
gastrointestinal disorders),[Footnote 31] have placed additional
demands on schools. In particular, school disability officials and
researchers reported the need for staff with specialized expertise to
appropriately support these students. For example, school officials
told us that their counseling centers were not designed to support the
types of psychological disabilities they now encounter among students.
To address this, some schools have hired staff with expertise in mental
health counseling.
In addition, some school disability officials told us they lack
experience in supporting the needs of students with autism, in
particular those who need coaching in social skills and assistance in
organization and time management. Some schools have specific programs
on campus and training for faculty to support the needs of this
population (see sidebar). Schools can also face challenges in
supporting students with chronic medical conditions, such as severe
allergies, who may need less traditional accommodations that schools
are not accustomed to providing, such as dietary modifications or
chemical-free classrooms.
Sidebar:
A Transition Program for Students with Autism:
[Refer to PDF for image: Students]
In response to a need for better transition services for students with
autism, one college has implemented a 1-year program designed to
provide this support. The program aims to help students independently
access accommodations and services in higher education by building
skills in organization, time management, social interactions, self
advocacy, and transition planning. To accomplish these goals, students
in the program work individually with specialists, attend individual
and group coaching sessions, and design long-range plans for college
and career development. School officials also reported building an
autism community of interest on campus comprised, in part, of faculty
who are experienced in working with students with autism.
Source: Digital Vision.
[End of sidebar]
Disability association and school officials noted challenges related to
having resources available to provide accommodations to students,
particularly those that are costly or staff intensive. For example,
providing sign language interpreters is expensive and may strain
disability services office budgets. At one school we visited that
served about 1,500 students with disabilities, officials reported they
devoted about 25 to 30 percent of the disability services office budget
to interpreters for six students who are deaf. In addition, some school
officials said that converting course materials into accessible
formats, such as electronic text or Braille, is costly and time
consuming, particularly materials including graphics, mathematical
equations, and foreign languages. To minimize the cost and resources
needed, schools in several states have established online
clearinghouses to share materials already converted into accessible
format. Moreover, the HEOA contained provisions to improve
accessibility of course materials. However, publishers can be reluctant
to make textbooks available in electronic formats, according to a 2009
report by the National Council on Disability. Further, some school
disability services officials reported that they lack sufficient staff
and space to provide certain accommodations, such as proctors and
distraction-free rooms for test taking. For example, officials from one
school told us the need for space has changed over time with more
students with ADD/ADHD requesting separate testing areas and that the
disability services staff proctored over 200 exams in 1 day.
Another challenge schools face is a lack of awareness among some
faculty members regarding legal requirements for supporting students
with disabilities, according to schools officials we interviewed and
research. Disability associations and school officials told us that
while faculty are generally receptive to supporting these students,
some faculty members showed resistance to providing accommodations.
School officials and research cited faculty lack of awareness and
understanding of the legal requirements as key factors. Faculty members
generally define academic standards through development and delivery of
course requirements and materials, and some believe that accommodations
may undermine their academic authority and compromise academic
standards and values, according to school and association officials we
interviewed and research. Further, some faculty members are unwilling
to modify lectures or course materials to make them accessible and some
view commonly-accepted accommodations, such as extended time on exams,
to be a fundamental alteration of their course. Some disability
services staff told us they provide information sessions and written
materials to faculty to help them understand the legal requirements.
In addition, some schools face challenges related to lack of faculty
experience in supporting students with disabilities. Several school
officials we interviewed told us that some faculty members have not had
much experience teaching students with disabilities and are not yet
knowledgeable about instructional techniques or technologies that can
assist them in teaching students with disabilities. For example,
faculty may not be used to students with chronic medical or physical
conditions who may need to take breaks from class, reschedule tests,
miss class to attend treatment, or have personal attendants with them.
To enhance faculty understanding and skills, many schools conduct
faculty training related to students with disabilities, according to
higher education association officials. For example, some schools have
participated in OPE demonstration projects to enhance the skills of
faculty and administrators in working with students with disabilities.
Such projects include faculty training in using assistive technology,
professional development, technical assistance workshops, distance
learning, and research.
Growing Numbers of Veterans with Disabilities and Students with
Intellectual Disabilities May Pose New Challenges for Schools:
The needs of emerging populations of students with different types of
disabilities can present challenges to schools that lack experience
supporting these populations. In addition to increasing numbers of
students with autism, psychological disabilities, and chronic medical
conditions, schools are expecting more veterans with disabilities.
School officials told us they anticipate an increase in the number of
veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seeking postsecondary
education, especially with the recent enactment of the Post-9/11 GI
Bill. Some of these veterans have acquired mental or physical
disabilities (such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), and amputations) that could result in them
needing accommodations. According to disability association officials,
the need for accommodations may not become apparent until veterans are
in the classroom, given the difficulty in diagnosing some disorders,
such as TBI. For example, short-term memory loss associated with TBI
may not surface until a student is taking classes. Further, according
to school disability officials, veterans may be reluctant to disclose a
disability and request accommodations for a variety of reasons. For
example, some veterans are reluctant to disclose a disability because
they think other veterans with more severe impairments need more help
or they are not sure how disclosure will affect their military career.
Even when veterans do disclose disabilities, many schools lack
experience in accommodating the needs of veterans with disabilities.
Some schools are recognizing the need to adapt their support approaches
by working closely with veterans groups on campus and providing
resources to disability staff and faculty to help them understand how
the military experience affects a student's transition to campus life.
For example, one school official we interviewed described a recently-
implemented military outreach program that pairs faculty with students
to provide support to veterans and their families coming to the school.
Other schools have initiatives specifically related to helping veterans
acclimate to campus life and obtain accommodations they need (see
sidebar). One recent study showed that some schools are planning to
train counseling staff to assist veterans with PTSD and other health
issues.
Sidebar:
School Program for Veterans with Disabilities:
[Refer to PDF for image: Students]
The disability services office of one school has developed a
comprehensive Veteran Student Initiatives project to help veteran
students adjust to campus life, their disabilities, and feel
comfortable seeking services. The disability services office has staff
specifically dedicated to assisting veterans and works with outside
agencies, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, to help expedite
the referral and documentation process for veterans with disabilities.
This project trains faculty, staff, and non-veteran students about
relating to veterans and the issues they face as they return to
civilian life. In addition, the project aims to work with veteran
student groups in developing peer and social networks on campus that
can help other veterans overcome the fear of disclosing disabilities.
Source: GAO.
[End of sidebar]
Another challenge that more schools will be facing in the future is
supporting the needs of students with intellectual disabilities seeking
higher education--a student population that is expected to increase.
Officials from one organization that focuses on students with
intellectual disabilities explained that these students generally have
different goals and needs than their peers. For example, some students
with intellectual disabilities attend postsecondary classes as part of
their overall work or career plan but may audit classes instead of
working toward a degree. In another example, some students with
intellectual disabilities attend classes designed to address life
skills, such as functional math or reading, financial skills, or
employment training. Increased attention has been placed on this
student population as shown by new HEOA provisions[Footnote 32] that
include authorizing grants to postsecondary schools to develop model
transition programs to higher education, establishing a center to
provide schools assistance in developing these programs, and
authorizing financial aid eligibility for these students.[Footnote 33]
While some schools already have programs in place to meet the needs of
students with intellectual disabilities, other schools may consider
developing new programs to support this student population, according
to Education officials.
Various Education Offices Provide Assistance to Schools but Lack a
Coordinated Approach:
Education Provides Assistance to Schools in Supporting Students with
Disabilities:
Education has provided assistance to postsecondary schools to support
students with disabilities through three different offices. The three
different offices--OCR, OSERS, and OPE--have different missions and
priorities, focus on different clients, and provide different types of
assistance to schools; however, all three offices have a role in
promoting access for students with disabilities in postsecondary
education.
Although OCR's primary role is enforcement, it has taken the lead among
the three offices in providing information and assistance directly to
postsecondary schools to help them comply with legal requirements and
informing students, parents, community groups, and others of their
rights and responsibilities. According to OCR officials, the difference
in legal rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities in
secondary versus postsecondary school has often resulted in confusion
for both schools and students. OCR has taken the initiative to provide
assistance in a variety of ways, such as issuing publications and
conducting presentations to inform schools, students, parents,
community groups, and others about the students' legal rights and the
requirements of the federal disability laws related to postsecondary
education. According to OCR officials, there is a great demand from
students, parents, teachers, and parent-teacher associations for
information about the transition from secondary to postsecondary school
for students with disabilities. For example, determining what
accommodations a postsecondary school is required to provide to
students with disabilities is complex, and school officials are often
unclear about what is considered a "reasonable" accommodation. To
respond to this information need, OCR published a pamphlet for students
entitled Students With Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary
Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities and a guide for high
school faculty entitled Transition of Students With Disabilities to
Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators. In
addition, in 2007 and 2008, OCR issued "Dear Colleague" and "Dear
Parent" letters to schools and parents about the legal rights and
responsibilities of students with disabilities as they transition from
secondary to postsecondary education. These letters explain the role of
postsecondary schools with respect to students with disabilities. OCR's
publications and letters are available on OCR's Web site as well as by
mail, upon request. According to OCR officials, the office relies on
external sources, such as schools, parents, news media, interest
groups, and the general public, to identify topics to cover in its
technical assistance efforts. In addition, OCR relies on suggestions
from OCR regional staff to identify issues based on its ongoing work.
OCR has also conducted technical assistance presentations about a wide
range of topics related to postsecondary students with disabilities in
response to requests from schools and other groups, such as parent-
teacher associations. In fiscal year 2008, OCR presented about 130
technical assistance presentations that focused entirely or partly on
disability issues. In both fiscal years 2007 and 2008, the presentation
on students with disabilities transitioning to postsecondary school was
among the most frequently offered disability presentation. In addition,
OCR recently identified veterans with disabilities seeking higher
education as an emerging issue, and in July 2008, OCR issued letters to
notify schools and veteran students about its new Wounded Warrior
Initiative to assist veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with
disabilities who are seeking postsecondary education. According to OCR
officials, wounded warriors who have recently acquired a disability may
not be aware of accommodations available in postsecondary education. To
support the needs of this emerging population, OCR has conducted
presentations about wounded warriors for postsecondary schools. OCR
also offered presentations on a range of other topics such as academic
adjustments, auxiliary aids, Web accessibility, assistive technology,
food allergies as a disability, grievance procedures, and complying
with disability law. In addition, OCR staff answer questions about
disability issues from students, parents, school officials, and other
interested stakeholders who contact OCR.
OSERS serves a broad range of clients; however, the office's
initiatives related to postsecondary students with disabilities have
been focused primarily on providing direct support to states and
indirect support to schools and students.[Footnote 34] OSERS has
provided this support through technical assistance centers, state
vocational rehabilitation agencies, and research initiatives. Within
OSERS, the Office of Special Education Programs is dedicated to
improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with
disabilities by providing leadership and financial support to assist
states and local districts; however, the office has supported three
technical assistance centers with narrow focuses related to transition
and postsecondary education that support states and schools:
* the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center and the
National Post-School Outcomes Center assist states in collecting data
related to post-secondary school transition planning and post-school
outcomes for youth with disabilities, respectively, and:
* the Postsecondary Education Programs Network is a national network of
regional centers that provide resources, information, and training to
schools focused on improving services and access for certain students
only--those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Also, OSERS's Rehabilitative Services Administration funds grants to
state VR agencies to provide a variety of services to individuals with
disabilities, including helping postsecondary students with
disabilities pay for a range of services, such as counseling, tuition,
books, housing, transportation, and assistive technology. Finally,
OSERS's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR) has funded grants to schools and other groups for research
studies related to students with disabilities, including studies
focused on students with intellectual disabilities, psychiatric
disabilities, and autism, as well as other studies with broader scopes.
NIDRR has recently put in place a system of sharing information between
grantees and state VR agencies to establish a better link between
research results and practice in the field.
Education's office with primary responsibility for focusing on
postsecondary education issues and schools is OPE; however, it has
provided limited technical assistance to schools on disability issues.
OPE funds two grant programs for postsecondary schools--one for
training faculty and another for supporting students with disabilities.
OPE's technical assistance has been focused on the schools that receive
these grants. In fiscal year 2008, OPE provided technical assistance to
the 23 postsecondary schools that received demonstration project grants
for improving faculty skills and abilities in working with students
with disabilities.[Footnote 35] Specifically, OPE has hosted an annual
conference and monthly conference calls for these demonstration grant
recipients to ask questions about the projects, discuss their progress,
and share best practices based on project results. In addition, OPE has
provided some assistance to the 25 postsecondary schools that received
grants through the federal TRIO program's Student Support Services
(SSS) program to support students with disabilities, for example by
providing tutoring or counseling.[Footnote 36] According to agency
officials, OPE also provided assistance through responding to e-mail
inquiries, conducting conference calls, and attending conferences to
assist these postsecondary schools that host TRIO programs. OPE also
awards grants to other entities to provide training on the TRIO
programs and identifies priorities for this training. For example, one
nonprofit group--the Council for Opportunity in Education--has used
TRIO grant funds to conduct annual conferences and seminars to provide
information and assistance to postsecondary schools that have received
SSS grants.
According to OPE officials, the office does not provide broader
technical assistance on disability issues to postsecondary schools
because the office lacks expertise in this area. However, according to
the Education Web site, OPE is responsible for developing federal
postsecondary education policy and administering programs that support
the mission to increase access to quality postsecondary education. More
specifically, OPE has lead responsibility for administering programs
that identify, prepare, and facilitate access of students with
disabilities to higher education institutions and their successful
completion of programs at their maximum levels of ability.
In the future, OPE will have the lead role in implementing several new
initiatives authorized by the HEOA that are designed to provide
additional assistance to postsecondary schools regarding students with
disabilities. Specifically, the HEOA added provisions to the HEA
requiring the Secretary of Education to establish two centers to
provide technical assistance and information to students, parents, and
schools. HEOA also added provisions regarding postsecondary students
with particular types of disabilities. For example, the Act authorized
an advisory commission and model demonstration programs to improve
accessibility to instructional materials for students with print
disabilities.[Footnote 37] In addition, the Act authorized the
Secretary to provide grants for model transition programs for students
with intellectual disabilities in higher education.[Footnote 38]
Finally, in reauthorizing the demonstration grant projects to support
postsecondary faculty and staff in educating students with
disabilities, HEOA requires Education to report to the Congress on the
activities and program performance of these projects and provide
guidance and recommendations on how effective projects can be
replicated. As of October 2009, Congress has not provided funding
specifically for those HEOA initiatives that require it.
Education Does Not Have a Coordinated Approach for Assisting Schools:
While Education's three offices have collaborated in some cases to
provide technical assistance to postsecondary schools to meet their
needs for information about disability issues, the agency has not
developed a coordinated approach to guide its technical assistance
efforts. Coordination efforts among Education offices to provide
assistance to schools about students with disabilities have generally
been informal and in response to specific issues. For example,
according to Education officials, OCR and OSERS have collaborated on
some postsecondary disability issues, including OSERS staff sharing
their disability expertise with OCR staff in preparing technical
assistance publications for schools, such as the transition guide for
high school educators and the Dear Colleague letters. In addition, both
OSERS and OCR have had limited coordination with OPE on disability
issues and coordinate on an as-needed basis when specific issues
arise.[Footnote 39] For example, OSERS and OPE issued a joint letter to
public postsecondary schools and state VR agencies encouraging these
entities to establish interagency agreements to guide their
collaboration in providing VR services to students with
disabilities.[Footnote 40] Also, OPE invited OCR to attend the annual
conference for schools that received demonstration grants to give a
presentation and answer questions about supporting postsecondary
students with disabilities.
School and disability association officials told us that schools need
more guidance about postsecondary disability issues. Although some
school officials we interviewed told us they had used Education's
publications, attended presentations, and contacted OCR with specific
disability-related questions, many school officials told us they had
limited contact with Education related to students with disabilities.
Instead, school officials said they often relied on sources outside
Education for technical assistance in this area, such as regional and
national disability and education associations and other schools.
According to both school and association officials, schools need more
information and technical assistance related to supporting
postsecondary students with disabilities. Several school officials told
us they needed more assistance in general on complying with disability
laws and the transition from secondary to postsecondary school. Other
school and association officials indicated the need for more guidance
in specific areas, including assistive technology, use of service and
comfort animals[Footnote 41] on campus, and supporting emerging student
populations, such as those with autism, psychological disabilities, and
veterans with disabilities. Several school and association officials
expressed the need for Education to disseminate information about best
practices and results of successful demonstration projects that may
have wide applicability across schools. School officials and disability
experts suggested several ways Education could share information with
schools, such as establishing a clearinghouse to share best practices,
posting answers to frequently asked questions on the agency Web site,
maintaining a listserv, and developing online videos or Webinars on how
school officials can support students with disabilities--especially for
schools that are unable to attend Education conferences.[Footnote 42]
Although each of these Education offices has provided some assistance
on disability issues to postsecondary schools, with OCR taking the
lead, the agency has not developed a strategy to address the needs of
schools. More specifically, Education has not developed a structure for
these offices to coordinate in identifying the needs of schools and the
best way to meet these needs, including the type of assistance and who
should provide the assistance. OPE has not regularly collaborated with
OCR and OSERS regarding disability issues, even though these two
offices have experience, expertise, and data related to these issues
that OPE does not. While OSERS officials told us that OPE could benefit
from OSERS's expertise on disability issues, the two offices have had
only informal discussions about collaborating in the future. These
three offices have not coordinated their technical assistance efforts
to systematically leverage expertise and resources to meet the needs of
postsecondary schools in this area.
In addition to this lack of strategic coordination described above, in
July 2009 we issued two reports that found that Education lacked
departmentwide mechanisms to share information and coordinate efforts
in its support of elementary and secondary school teacher quality
programs.[Footnote 43] More specifically, in one report we found that
Education lacks coordination in sharing of information among the six
Education offices that provide funding and other assistance that can
help general classroom teachers instruct students with disabilities and
English language learners. In the other report we also found little
sustained coordination and no strategy for working systematically
across nine Education offices that administer programs that provide
billions of federal dollars for teacher quality improvement efforts. In
both reports we recommended that the Secretary of Education develop and
implement mechanisms to ensure more systematic or sustained
coordination among program offices that support teacher quality
efforts. Such coordination could help facilitate information and
resource sharing as well as strengthen linkages among teacher quality
improvement efforts to help states, school districts, and postsecondary
schools in their initiatives to improve teacher quality. In response to
our recommendations, Education agreed that coordination is beneficial
and will explore the benefits of creating such mechanisms. However,
Education also pointed out that such efforts do not always prove
useful, indicating that it favors short-term, issue-specific
coordination. In our response to Education in these reports, while
acknowledging that the department faces some challenges to
coordination, we emphasized that we continue to believe that Education
needs to develop a strategy for sustained coordination to ensure that
different offices routinely become involved in sharing information and
resources, as well as facilitating linkages among teacher quality
improvement efforts.
Conclusions:
The number of students with disabilities pursuing postsecondary
education is growing and this will further challenge current thinking
about how to support them and schools' capacity to effectively meet
their educational needs. Education has played a key role in working to
ensure equal access to higher education for students with disabilities,
in part, by providing technical assistance to schools to help them meet
the needs of this diverse population. However, the management and
delivery of this assistance is spread among Education offices with
limited coordination. This informal technical assistance delivery
structure inhibits the regular sharing of information and expertise
related to students with disabilities among offices and does not result
in these offices thinking more globally or strategically about the
information needs of schools and the best way for the agency to meet
these needs. Without a more coordinated approach among the offices that
provide technical assistance, schools may not fully benefit from the
disability expertise and experiences that are currently dispersed among
various Education offices. As a result, Education may miss
opportunities to leverage agency resources to help better meet the
information needs of schools and students. Further, OCR and OSERS have
expertise that, through coordinated efforts, may better position OPE to
carry out its new responsibilities under the HEOA.
Recommendation for Executive Action:
To improve access to quality higher education for students with
disabilities, we recommend that the Secretary of Education develop and
implement a coordinated approach to optimize agency resources and
knowledge in providing technical assistance to institutions of higher
education in supporting students with disabilities. For example,
Education could develop a plan for routinely and systematically sharing
information related to supporting postsecondary students with
disabilities.
Agency Comments and Our Evaluation:
We provided a draft of this report to the Department of Education. We
also provided to the Department of Justice and Social Security
Administration selected sections that specifically pertain to programs
these two agencies administer. Education provided a written response to
this report (see app. V). Education, SSA, and Justice all provided
technical comments, which we incorporated throughout the draft as
appropriate.
In its formal comments, Education agreed with our recommendation and
plans to develop and implement a coordinated approach to providing
technical assistance to postsecondary schools through a work group, to
include the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, the Office of
Postsecondary Education, the Office for Civil Rights, and the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. In addition, Education
noted that the same knowledge, resources, and information useful to
postsecondary schools might be equally of interest and utility to
students and potential students with disabilities, family members,
secondary schools personnel, and counselors, among others. Education
plans to explore making information on higher education and individuals
with disabilities available in a more centralized and user-friendly
manner on its Web site, [hyperlink, http://www.ed.gov].
We are sending copies of this report to appropriate congressional
committees, the Secretary of Education, and other interested parties.
In addition, the report will be available at no charge on GAO's Web
site at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov].
If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please
contact me at (202) 512-7215 or scottg@gao.gov. Contact points for our
Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on
the last page of this report. GAO staff that made major contributions
to this report are listed in appendix VI.
Sincerely yours,
Signed by:
George A. Scott:
Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues:
[End of section]
Appendix I: Technical Appendix:
This appendix discusses in more detail our review of federal data on
postsecondary students with disabilities for question one: what is
known about the population of postsecondary students with disabilities.
To obtain information on this population, we identified 10 federal
datasets that are administered by the Department of Education, the
Department of Commerce (U.S. Census Bureau), and the National Science
Foundation (see table 3). We selected these datasets, in consultation
with GAO methodologists, because they are widely known, national
datasets that would most likely contain information about students with
disabilities related to higher education. We examined the datasets to
determine the purpose of the study or survey, the population described,
the sample surveyed, data collection methods, and the focus of
questions and variables related to students with disabilities. We
evaluated these data and studies for methodological rigor, as well as
to determine the extent to which the data could be used to offer a
national perspective on students with disabilities in higher education.
The data we reported are reliable enough for our purposes. For four of
these datasets, we assessed the quality, reliability, and usability of
the data for reporting descriptive statistics on student population
characteristics (e.g., age, gender, and type of disability) and
characteristics of the schools they attend (e.g., school size and
type). Because the four surveys followed a probability procedure based
on random selections, each sample is only one of a large number of
samples that might have been drawn. Since each sample could have
provided different estimates, we express our confidence in the
precision of the particular sample's results as a 95 percent confidence
interval (e.g., plus or minus 4 percentage points). This is the
interval that would contain the actual population value for 95 percent
of the samples we could have drawn. All percentage estimates used in
this report have 95 percent confidence intervals of within plus or
minus 4 percentage points, unless otherwise noted. After analyzing the
relevant data from these four datasets, we relied heavily on one,
Education's National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), for
primarily two reasons. First, the NPSAS specifically focuses on the
population of postsecondary students and the schools they attend, which
allowed us to report information on many topics related to
postsecondary students. Second, it affords the opportunity to look at
changes in the population over time, specifically from 2000, 2004, and
2008. Although the American Community Survey also provides annual
snapshots of the population, we were not able to report trend
information because the relevant data were first reported in 2006.
Table 3: Federal Statistical Programs That Contain Data about
Postsecondary Students with Disabilities:
Statistical programs: Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau:
American Community Survey (2007)(ACS)[A];
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://www.census.gov/acs].
Statistical programs: Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau:
Survey of Income and Program Participation (2004)(SIPP);
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://www.census.gov/sipp].
Statistical programs: Department of Education, Institute for Education
Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics: Baccalaureate and
Beyond Longitudinal Study (1993/2003) (B&B);
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/B%26B/].
Statistical programs: Department of Education, Institute for Education
Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics: Beginning
Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (2004/2006) (BPS);
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps].
Statistical programs: Department of Education, Institute for Education
Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics: Education
Longitudinal Study (2002) (ELS)[B];
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ELS2002].
Statistical programs: Department of Education, Institute for Education
Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics: Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data System (2009) (IPEDS);
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://nces.ed.gov/IPEDS].
Statistical programs: Department of Education, Institute for Education
Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics: National Education
Longitudinal Study (1988)(NELS);
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/NELS88].
Statistical programs: Department of Education, Institute for Education
Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics: National
Postsecondary Student Aid Study (2000, 2004, 2008) (NPSAS)[C];
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas].
Statistical programs: Department of Education, Institute for Education
Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research: National
Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (2001)(NLTS2)[D];
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink, http://www.nlts2.org].
Statistical programs: National Science Foundation: Scientists and
Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT) is a database of the
employment, education, and demographic characteristics of the nation's
scientists and engineers. The data are collected from the following
three surveys:
* National Survey of Recent College Graduates(2006)(NSRCG);
* Survey of Doctorate Recipients (2006) (SDR);
* National Survey of College Graduates (2003) (NSCG);
Web site addresses as of 9/17/2009: [hyperlink,
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/sestat/].
Source: GAO analysis.
Note: GAO conducted in-depth analysis and reported descriptive
statistics for the ACS, ELS, NPSAS, and NLTS2.
[A] The ACS 2007 had an overall response rate of 97.7 percent. The
Census Bureau does not report item response rates for questions in ACS.
[B] The ELS data used in this report are from the second follow-up in
2006 and had a weighted response rate of 88.4 percent.
[C] The NPSAS 2000 overall weighted response rate was 89 percent. In
the NPSAS 2004, the institution weighted participation rate was 80
percent and the student weighted response rate was 91 percent. The
response rates for the NPSAS 2008 are not available as of October 2009.
Moreover, NPSAS 2008 data are preliminary and subject to change.
[D] The NLTS2 is a two-stage sample design. The first stage was the
school districts with a 14 percent response rate. The second stage was
students with a response rate of 67.2 percent. Due to the low response
rate for school districts, a nonresponse bias analysis was done. See p.
13 of Harold Javitz and Mary Wagner, Analysis of Potential Bias in the
Wave 1 and Wave 2 Respondents to the National Longitudinal Transition
Study-2 (NLTS2), a special report prepared for the Office of Special
Education Programs, Department of Education, May 2005. Based on this
bias analysis, we determined that the wave 3 sample was reliable enough
for our purpose. To calculate the cumulative response rate, we
multiplied the student and school district response rates to report an
overall response rate of 9 percent.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Appendix II: Data on Students with Disabilities:
Table 4: Population Estimates of Postsecondary (Undergraduate) Students
with Disabilities, NPSAS 2000, 2004, and 2008; and ACS 2007:
Survey: National Postsecondary Student Aid Study: 2000;
All students: 15,109,000;
Students with disabilities: 1,398,000;
Percent: 9.3.
Survey: National Postsecondary Student Aid Study: 2004;
All students: 16,607,000;
Students with disabilities: 1,866,000;
Percent: 11.2.
Survey: National Postsecondary Student Aid Study: 2008;
All students: 19,155,000;
Students with disabilities: 2,076,000;
Percent: 10.8.
Survey: American Community Survey: 2007;
All students: 17,317,000;
Students with disabilities: 1,055,000;
Percent: 6.1.
Source: GAO analysis of NPSAS 2000, 2004, and 2008; and ACS 2007.
Note: All numbers were rounded to the nearest thousand. The NPSAS
population of postsecondary students includes students who lived in the
United States and were enrolled in certificate, associate's, or
bachelor's degree programs, i.e., all but graduate-level students.
Institutions they attended include less-than-2-year, 2-year, and 4-year
schools. The ACS population represents all college students living in
the United States or in Puerto Rico. We have structured our analyses of
the NPSAS and ACS populations in order to define the two surveys'
populations as similarly as possible.
[End of table]
Table 5: Percentage Distribution of Postsecondary (Undergraduate)
Students, by Disability Status, Gender, Race & Ethnicity, Age, and
Delayed Enrollment in Postsecondary School, 2000 and 2008:
Gender: Women;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 59.3;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 57.7;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 56.3;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 57.1.
Gender: Men;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 40.7;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 42.3;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 43.7;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 42.9.
Race & ethnicity: White;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 72.3;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 67.4;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 68.1;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 62.5.
Race & ethnicity: Black or African American;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 11.5;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 13.2;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 12.3;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 14.5.
Race & ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 7.9;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 11.3;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 10.4;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 13.4.
Race & ethnicity: Asian;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 2.0;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 3.5;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 4.5;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 5.4.
Race & ethnicity: American Indian or Alaska Native;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 2.0;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 0.8;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 0.7;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 0.9.
Race & ethnicity: Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 0.9;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 0.6;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 0.7;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 0.7.
Race & ethnicity: Other;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 1.2;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 0.3;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 1.5;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 0.3.
Race & ethnicity: More than one race;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 2.3;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 2.9;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 1.8;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 2.3.
Age: 23 or younger;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 42.5;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 54.9;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 59.9;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 61.5.
Age: 24-29;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 16.6;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 20.2;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 16.9;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 16.8.
Age: 30 or older;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 41.0;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 25.0;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 23.2;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 21.6.
Delayed enrollment in postsecondary school after completing high
school: Less than 1 year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 53.1;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 64.9;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 65.0;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 69.7.
Delayed enrollment in postsecondary school after completing high
school: 1 year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 11.1;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 12.1;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 11.5;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 10.7.
Delayed enrollment in postsecondary school after completing high
school: 2-4 years;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 10.0;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 9.2;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 9.7;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 8.1.
Delayed enrollment in postsecondary school after completing high
school: 5+ years;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 25.8;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 13.8;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 13.8;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 11.5.
Source: GAO analysis of NPSAS 2000 and 2008.
[End of table]
Table 6: Percentage Distribution of Postsecondary (Undergraduate)
Students, by Disability Status, among Level and Control of Schools
Attended and Attendance Patterns, 2000 and 2008:
Institution level: 4-year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 39.2;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 42.7;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 47.9;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 48.9.
Institution level: 2-year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 51.4;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 46.0;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 43.2;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 40.8.
Institution level: Less than 2-year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 3.5;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 3.4;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 2.5;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 2.4.
Institution level: Attended more than one institution;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 6.0;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 7.9[A];
Students without disabilities: 2000: 6.4;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 7.8.
Institution control: Public;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 76.2;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 69.2[B];
Students without disabilities: 2000: 74.2;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 69.5.
Institution control: Private not-for-profit;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 11.4;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 11.2;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 14.7;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 13.6.
Institution control: Private for-profit (proprietary);
Students with disabilities: 2000: 6.5;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 11.6;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 4.8;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 9.1.
Institution control: Attended more than one institution;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 6.0;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 7.9[A];
Students without disabilities: 2000: 6.4;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 7.8.
Attendance pattern: Full-time, full year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 34.3;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 35.8;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 42.4;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 41.3.
Attendance pattern: Full-time, part year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 16.7;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 16.1;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 13.3;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 14.1.
Attendance pattern: Part-time, full year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 25.0;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 22.5;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 22.3;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 21.9.
Attendance pattern: Part-time, part year;
Students with disabilities: 2000: 24.0;
Students with disabilities: 2008: 25.5;
Students without disabilities: 2000: 22.1;
Students without disabilities: 2008: 22.6.
Source: GAO analysis of NPSAS 2000 and 2008.
[A] These estimates have an error rate of +/-4.10 percent at the 95
percent confidence level.
[B] This estimate has an error rate of +/-4.02 percent at the 95
percent confidence level.
[End of table]
Table 7: Percentage Distribution of Main Type of Disability among
Postsecondary (Undergraduate) Students with Disabilities, 2000, 2004,
and 2008:
Main type of disability: Mental, emotional, or psychiatric
condition/depression;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 17.1;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 22.3;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 24.3.
Main type of disability: Attention deficit disorder (ADD);
Percentage distribution: 2000: 6.7;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 11.6;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 19.1.
Main type of disability: Orthopedic or mobility impairment;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 29.0;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 24.8;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 15.1.
Main type of disability: Other;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 13.2;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 5.8;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 15.0.
Main type of disability: Specific learning disability, dyslexia;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 5.0;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 7.7;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 8.9.
Main type of disability: Hearing impairment;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 6.8;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 4.7;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 6.1.
Main type of disability: Health impairment or problem;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 15.1;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 17.3;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 5.8.
Main type of disability: Blindness or visual impairment;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 5.2;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 3.7;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 2.7.
Main type of disability: Speech or language impairment;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 0.3;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 0.5;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 0.7.
Main type of disability: Brain injury;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 1.2;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 1.0;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 1.7.
Main type of disability: Developmental disability;
Percentage distribution: 2000: 0.6;
Percentage distribution: 2004: 0.6;
Percentage distribution: 2008: 0.7.
Source: GAO analysis of NPSAS 2000, 2004, and 2008.
Note: In 2000, "mental illness/depression" was one type of disability.
In 2004 and 2008 these terms were separated into two distinct
categories. However, for the purposes of comparison with 2000 data, we
have combined these two categories in the 2004 and 2008 data.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Appendix III: Postsecondary Schools, Associations, and Experts
Interviewed:
Table 8: Postsecondary Schools Interviewed:
State: AL;
School name: Calhoun Community College;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: Dot;
4-year: [Empty].
State: AZ;
School name: University of Arizona;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: AZ;
School name: University of Phoenix/ headquarters;
Public: [Empty];
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): Dot;
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: CA;
School name: California State University/ East Bay;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: CA;
School name: City College of San Francisco;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: Dot;
4-year: [Empty].
State: CA;
School name: University of California/ Berkeley;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: CA;
School name: Sonoma State University;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: CA;
School name: University of San Francisco;
Public: [Empty];
Private not for-profit: Dot;
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: CT;
School name: University of Connecticut;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: DC;
School name: American University;
Public: [Empty];
Private not for-profit: Dot;
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: DC;
School name: George Washington University;
Public: [Empty];
Private not for-profit: Dot;
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: GA;
School name: Emory University;
Public: [Empty];
Private not for-profit: Dot;
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: GA;
School name: Georgia State University;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: GA;
School name: Georgia Institute of Technology;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: IN;
School name: ITT Technical Institute/ headquarters;
Public: [Empty];
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): Dot;
2-year: Dot;
4-year: Dot.
State: MD;
School name: Montgomery College;
Public: Dot;
Private not for- profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: Dot;
4-year: [Empty].
State: MO;
School name: Metropolitan Community College/ Longview;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: Dot;
4-year: [Empty].
State: NY;
School name: Rochester Institute of Technology;
Public: [Empty];
Private not for-profit: Dot;
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: OH;
School name: Columbus State Community College;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: Dot;
4-year: [Empty].
State: OH;
School name: Ohio Wesleyan University;
Public: [Empty];
Private not for-profit: Dot;
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: OH;
School name: The Ohio State University;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: OH;
School name: Wright State University;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: PA;
School name: Community College of Allegheny County;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2-year: Dot;
4-year: [Empty].
State: TX;
School name: Texas A&M University;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
State: VA;
School name: George Mason University;
Public: Dot;
Private not for-profit: [Empty];
Private for-profit (proprietary): [Empty];
2- year: [Empty];
4-year: Dot.
Source: GAO.
[End of table]
Table 9: Disability and Higher Education Associations and Experts
Interviewed:
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE);
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC);
American Council on Education (ACE);
Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD);
Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy;
Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society;
Disability Access Information and Support (DAIS);
HEATH Resource Center at George Washington University;
Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI);
National Council on Disability (NCD);
National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC);
National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN) (Student Group).
Source: GAO.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Appendix IV Postsecondary Schools That Received Education Grants to
Support Students with Disabilities in FY 2008:
Table 10: FY 2008 Grantees with Demonstration Projects to Ensure
Students with Disabilities Receive a Quality Higher Education Program:
State: CA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: San Diego State University
Research Foundation.
State: CA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Sonoma State University.
State: CO;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Colorado State University.
State: CT;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: University of Connecticut.
State: GA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Georgia Tech Research
Corporation.
State: HI;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: University of Hawaii.
State: IA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: University of Iowa.
State: IL;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: National-Louis University.
State: IN;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Ball State University.
State: MA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: University of Massachusetts/
Boston.
State: NE;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Board of Regents, University of
Nebraska, University of Nebraska/ Lincoln.
State: OR;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Lane Community College.
State: OR;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: University of Oregon.
State: PA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Northampton County Area
Community College.
State: PA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Temple University of the
Commonwealth System of Higher Education.
State: SC;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: South Carolina State
University.
State: TX;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Texas A&M University.
State: TX;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: University of Texas/ Pan
American.
State: VA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Longwood University.
State: VT;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: University of Vermont and State
Agricultural College.
State: WA;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Eastern Washington University.
State: WI;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: Board of Regents of the
University of Wisconsin System (University of Wisconsin/ Milwaukee).
State: WV;
FY 2008 demonstration project grantees: West Virginia University
Research Corporation.
Source: Department of Education.
[End of table]
Table 11: FY 2008 Grantees with Student Support Services (SSS) Projects
That Specifically Serve Students with Disabilities under the Federal
TRIO Program:
State: AR;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Henderson State University.
State: AZ;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Arizona State University/ Tempe.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: California State Polytechnic University/
Pomona.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: California State University/ East Bay
Foundation.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: California State University/ Los Angeles.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: California State University/ Sacramento.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Long Beach City College.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Los Angeles Harbor College.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Reedley College/ Clovis & Madera Centers.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: San Diego State University Foundation.
State: CA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: University of California/ Berkeley.
State: FL;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Broward Community College.
State: KS;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Wichita State University.
State: MA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Middlesex Community College.
State: MO;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: University of Missouri/ St. Louis.
State: NJ;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Middlesex County College.
State: NJ;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Ramapo College of New Jersey.
State: NY;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: CUNY/ York College.
State: NY;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Marist College.
State: NY;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Nassau Community College.
State: OR;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Chemeketa Community College.
State: PA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Commonwealth Technical Institute.
State: PA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
State: WA;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: Lake Washington Technical College.
State: WI;
FY 2008 SSS project grantees: University of Wisconsin/ Stout.
Source: Department of Education.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Appendix V: Comments from the Department of Education:
United States Department Of Education:
Office Of Special Education And Rehabilitative Services:
400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Washington, DC:
20202-2500:
[hyperlink, http://www.ed.gov]:
Our mission is to ensure &pat access to education and to promote
educational excellence throughout the nation.
October 13, 2009:
Mr. George A. Scott:
Director:
Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues:
U.S. Government Accountability Office:
441 G Street, N.W.:
Washington, D.C. 20548
Dear Mr. Scott:
Thank you for the opportunity to review the draft Government
Accountability Office (GAO) report, "Higher Education and Disability:
Education Needs a Coordinated Approach to Improve its Assistance to
Schools in Supporting Students" (GAO-10-33), and respond on behalf of
the Department.
We appreciate the information provided in the draft report on the many
effective efforts already being made by the Department to provide
technical assistance to students with disabilities, and to
postsecondary institutions with students with disabilities, and we
continue to look for ways to enhance these efforts.
The draft report contains a single recommendation for Executive Action.
Recommendation: To improve access to quality higher education for
students with disabilities, we recommend that the Secretary of
Education develop and implement a coordinated approach to optimize
agency resources and knowledge in providing technical assistance to
institutions of higher education in supporting students with
disabilities. For example, Education could develop a plan for routinely
and systematically sharing information related to supporting
postsecondary students with disabilities.
Response: The Department agrees with the recommendation and will
develop and implement the recommended coordinated approach to provide
technical assistance to institutions of higher education through a work
group, to include the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, the
Office of Postsecondary Education, the Office for Civil Rights, and
both the vocational rehabilitation and special education components of
the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The
Department notes that the same knowledge, resources, and information
useful to institutions of higher education might be equally of interest
and utility to students and potential students with disabilities,
family members, secondary school personnel, and counselors, among
others.
The Department will explore making information on higher
education and individuals with disabilities available in a more
centralized and user- friendly manner on the [hyperlink,
http://www.ed.gov] Web site.
We appreciate the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Signed by:
Andrew J. Pepin, F.D.:
Executive Administrator:
Delegated the authority to perform the functions of Assistant
Secretary, OSERS:
[End of section]
Appendix VI: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments:
GAO Contact:
George A. Scott, Director (202) 512-7215 or scottg@gao.gov:
Staff Acknowledgments:
In addition to the contact above, Harriet Ganson (Assistant Director),
Linda Siegel (Analyst-in-Charge), Jennifer Cook, Jeffrey DeMarco, and
Alison Grantham made significant contributions to this report. Karen
O'Conor, Ying Long, and Jay Smale assisted with the data analysis and
methodology. Jessica Botsford provided legal support. Mimi Nguyen
assisted with graphics. Susan Bernstein and Jessica Orr assisted in
report development.
[End of section]
Footnotes:
[1] The HEOA, Pub. L. No. 110-315, August 14, 2008, reauthorized and
amended the Higher Education Act of 1965.
[2] Pub. L. No. 110-325, September 25, 2008.
[3] Pub. L. No. 101-336, July 26, 1990; 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.
[4] Title V of Pub. L. No. 110-252, June 30, 2008.
[5] 29 U.S.C. § 794.
[6] 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. Title II of the ADA applies to public
entities and Title III applies to private entities.
[7] 29 U.S.C. § 705(20)(B) and 42 U.S.C. § 12102.
[8] 34 C.F.R. Part 104, Subpart E.
[9] 42 U.S.C. § 12182(b)(2)(A)(ii); 34 C.F.R. § 104.44(a); Southeastern
Community College v. Davis, 442 U.S. 397 (1979).
[10] 34 C.F.R. § 104.44(d)(2).
[11] 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.
[12] Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is also responsible for
enforcing the following federal civil rights laws prohibiting
discrimination: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Age Discrimination Act of
1975. OCR also enforces the Boy Scouts of American Equal Access Act.
[13] 28 C.F.R. § 35.190(b)(2). Justice also delegated to the Department
of Health and Human Services responsibility for investigating
complaints under Title II of the ADA related to medical and other
health-related professional schools. 28 C.F.R. § 35.190(b)(3).
[14] Within OSERS, the Office of Special Education Programs administers
the IDEA.
[15] Also, the Office of Vocational and Adult Education provides
indirect support to postsecondary schools through funding grants to
states to support special populations, including, but not specifically
focusing on, students with disabilities.
[16] Other agencies also provide grants to support students with
disabilities. For example, the National Science Foundation supports a
program to increase participation of students with disabilities in the
fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
[17] The scope of our study did not focus on the role of agencies other
than Education, such as Justice, SSA, the Department of Health and
Human Services, or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
[18] The population of postsecondary students, as defined in this
section of the report, includes students who lived in the United States
and were enrolled in certificate, associate's, or bachelor's degree
programs, i.e., all but graduate-level students. Institutions they
attended include less-than-2-year, 2-year, and 4-year schools. All of
the estimates from the four national surveys that are used in this
report have 95 percent confidence intervals of +/-4 percentage points
or less, unless otherwise stated.
[19] The NPSAS pertains to school years 1999-2000, 2003-2004, and 2007-
2008. Note that data from the 2008 NPSAS are preliminary and may be
subject to change. The item response rates for the NPSAS 2000 and 2004
data we report are at least 66 percent. Item response rates for the
data we report for NPSAS 2008 are not available as of October 2009.
[20] The American Community Survey (ACS), a survey of the U.S.
population that focuses on population and housing characteristics,
estimated that these students represented 6 percent of the
undergraduate population in 2007. The ACS estimate, which is lower than
the 2008 NPSAS estimate, may be explained by factors like its purpose
and population surveyed. The ACS captures information about far broader
populations than the NPSAS and, unlike the NPSAS respondent, the ACS
respondent could be either the student or another household member.
[21] The numbers reported for California and New York are totals, not
estimates, for their respective states. These data are from the
California Postsecondary Education Commission and the New York State
Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research
and Information Systems.
[22] Respondents were asked to identify the main type of disability,
but respondents could have more than one type of disability.
[23] The NLTS2 population includes students who were ages 13 through
16, in at least 7th grade on December 1, 2000, and receiving special
education services. These NLTS2 data come from Wave 3 of the study,
which involved students with disabilities who were in postsecondary
school in 2005--at that time, 23 percent of the NLTS2 population. Of
these 23 percent, learning disability was the primary type for 69
percent. This estimate has an error rate of +/-7 percent at the 95
percent confidence level. The item response rate was 91 percent.
[24] The ELS data pertain to the population of students who were high
school sophomores in the spring term of 2002. Nearly 2.4 million of
these students were attending postsecondary schools in 2006 and among
them, about 14 percent were identified in the ELS as having a
disability. Of these 14 percent, 71 percent had a learning disability.
This estimate has an error rate of +/-6 percent at the 95 percent
confidence level.
[25] The scope of our study did not include postsecondary schools that
focus solely on students with disabilities.
[26] In this report, the term "autism" refers to a spectrum of
disorders, including the following diagnoses: autistic disorder,
Asperger syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise
specified. These disorders are also commonly referred to collectively
as autism spectrum disorders.
[27] Students with disabilities may (1) have demands on their time for
treatments and services, (2) need time to obtain and learn how to use
auxiliary learning aids, and (3) need more time to perform academic
work. For example, a student with dyslexia may need more time to read.
[28] According to federal financial aid rules, for undergraduate
students, full-time status must be at least 12 semester hours. Schools
cannot accommodate a student with a disability by giving them full-time
enrollment status lower than this minimum.
[29] GAO, Vocational Rehabilitation: Better Measures and Monitoring
Could Improve Performance of the VR Program, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-865] (Washington D.C.: Sept.
23, 2005).
[30] To receive accommodations, an individual must establish the
presence of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits
one or more major life activities.
[31] Students with severe or chronic medical conditions could also
include those with acute migraines or those undergoing medical
procedures, like kidney dialysis or chemotherapy.
[32] Pub. L. No. 110-315 § 709, which added Part D "Programs to Provide
Students with Disabilities with a Quality Education" to Title VII of
the HEA.
[33] Pub.L. No. 110-315 § 485(s).
[34] OSERS also supports Gallaudet University and National Technical
Institute for the Deaf.
[35] Beginning in fiscal year 2008, Education will provide about $6.7
million in grants per year for 3 consecutive years to these schools as
part of OPE's Demonstration Projects to Ensure Students with
Disabilities Receive a Quality Higher Education program.
[36] Education administers the federal TRIO program, which includes SSS
program grants that support low-income, first-generation college
students and college students with disabilities. In fiscal year 2008,
Education provided $6.5 million for TRIO program grants related to
students with disabilities.
[37] It is unclear which office within Education will have
responsibility for implementing the advisory commission and model
demonstration programs to improve accessibility to instructional
materials for students with print disabilities.
[38] In addition, HEOA added a provision to allow students with
intellectual disabilities to receive certain financial assistance.
[39] For example, according to agency officials, OSERS serves on the
OPE-led committee on negotiated rulemaking regarding the new HEOA
provisions related to students with intellectual disabilities.
[40] The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires state VR agencies and
public postsecondary schools to establish interagency agreements or
other mechanisms for interagency coordination related to providing
services to individuals with disabilities.
[41] Service animal is defined in Justice regulations as "any guide
dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to do work or
perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability,
including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired
vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or
sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a
wheelchair, or fetching dropped items." See 28 C.F.R. § 36.104.
[42] In the past, Education has funded an information clearinghouse
related to postsecondary students with disabilities. However, school
officials we interviewed did not indicate an awareness of this
clearinghouse or that they relied on it for information.
[43] GAO, Teacher Quality: Sustained Coordination among Key Federal
Education Programs Could Enhance State Efforts to Improve Teacher
Quality, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-593]
(Washington, D.C.: July 6, 2009) and Teacher Preparation: Multiple
Federal Education Offices Support Teacher Preparation for Instructing
Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners, but
Systematic Departmentwide Coordination Could Enhance This Assistance,
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-573] (Washington,
D.C.: July 20, 2009).
[End of section]
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