How is education going for people with disabilities?

Did you graduate from high school? Did you go to college?

Many people with disabilities dream of going to school.

Parents congradulating their daughter on graduating from college.

In 1975, our government said all children with disabilities have the right to go to public school.

It was called the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act.

That law is now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA.

Special-ed classroom.

Many good things have happened for students with disabilities since then. But is it enough?

We want to know how education is going for people with disabilities now?

This is what we did

We made a list of questions about education for people with disabilities. We called this list the FINDS survey.

We asked many people to take the survey using a computer.

Photo of some radio buttons on a computer survey.

About 5,000 people completed the survey.

People from all 50 states completed the survey.

Colorful US map created with a collage of people.

Most of the people were family caregivers.

Mother and son playing.

This is what caregivers said about education

5 out of 10 students with disabilities get a high school diploma

Figure 1:

3 out of 10 students with disabilities are included in regular classrooms

Figure 2:

4 out of 10 parents are unhappy with the quality of education for their child

Figure 3:

About 1 out of 10 people with disabilities have gone to college.

Figure 4:

The answer to the question

How is education going for students with disabilities?

Thumbs up.

The good news is:

  • Most go to public schools.
  • 7 out of 10 are included in regular classrooms at least part of their day.
Thumbs down.

The bad news is:

  • 3 out of 10 aren’t included in a regular classroom at all.
  • Many don’t graduate from high school.
  • Few attend college.
  • Some families are unhappy with their child’s education.

We need to do better!

African american woman sitting at a table with other students in a classroom.

Students with disabilities CAN do well at school.

  • They should be in a regular classroom.
  • They should get a high school diploma.
  • They should have the choice to go to college or take classes as an adult.

TAKE ACTION! Share this with others

Show this to people in your life:

  • Show your teacher
  • Show your Para-Professional or DSP
  • Show your family

Show this to people who make the rules for lots of people with disabilities:

  • Show your principal
  • Show your school board
  • Show self-advocacy groups

Use this information to make your life better

Information about the knowledge translation of this research

Who did this knowledge translation?

This knowldege translation was created by the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota.

Who did this research?

The Arc of the United States and the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota

Who wrote the report?

Lynda Anderson, Sheryl A. Larson, and Allise Wuoria. Collaborators were Peter Berns, Ann Cameron Caldwell, and K. Charlie Lakin

What is the title of the report?

2010 FINDS National Survey Technical Report Part 1: Family Caregiver Survey

Where can I find the full report?

You can find the report at these websites:

This is the full report by the University of Minnesota:

rtc.umn.edu/misc/pubcount.asp?publicationid=222

This is a summary of the report by the Arc of the United States:

www.thearc.org/document.doc?id=3672

Report citation

Anderson, L.L., Larson, S.A., & Wuorio, A. (2011). 2010 FINDS National Survey Technical Report Part 1: Family Caregiver Survey. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living.