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Where do children and youth receive special education?
The majority of students with disabilities age 6-21 receive special education and related services in settings with nonhandicapped peers. Nearly 40% receive special education in regular classes, while over 31% are served primarily in resource rooms. Just under 24% were served in separate classes in regular education buildings. The remaining 5% of the special education population were served in separate, residential, or homebound hospital facilities.
There is variation, however, across handicapping conditions. Students with speech impairments (82%), visual impairments (45%), other health impairments (40%), orthopedic impairments (35%) and learning disabilities (35%) are served primarily in regular classes. In contrast, 57% of students with mental retardation, 50% of those with autism, and 45% of those with multiple disabilities are in separate classes.
Four of ten special education students are served in regular classrooms.
Graphic: Pie chart.
Source: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 1995
Survey: OSEP state reported data, 1992-93 school year