1 for example.) 1 for example.) There were some small differences among both populations with  regard to race. Also in 2008, the average age of students with  disabilities was about 26 years old, or about 1 year older than their peers. 2). 3). 4). Attention deficit  disorder (ADD) was the next most common type, accounting for 19  percent of such students. In contrast, in the 2008 NPSAS, fewer  than 10 percent of students with disabilities reported having a specific  learning disability, such as dyslexia. Schools Use Different Approaches and Accommodations to Support Students with Disabilities

Postsecondary schools provide a wide range of accommodations to  students with disabilities. Schools are  required to provide reasonable accommodations tailored to an individual  student’s needs to allow equal access to higher education. Some schools offer enhanced or more comprehensive services than are  required by law. 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. Some schools also offer specialized programs to supplement academic  instruction. Technological advances have expanded the educational opportunities for  students with disabilities. For example,  voice recognition software can help students prepare papers by “talking”  to the computer instead of using the keyboard. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 suppor t  to assist states and local districts; however, the office has supported three  technical assistance centers with narrow focuses related to transi tion 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. 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. 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. Appendix II: Data on Students with Disabilities

Appendix III: Postsecondary Schools, Associations, and Experts Interviewed

Appendix III: Postsecondary Schools,  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)

Appendix IV: Postsecondary Schools That Received Education Grants to Support Students with Disabilities in FY 2008

FY 2008 demonstration project grantees   San Diego State University Research Foundation  Board of Regents, University of Nebraska, University of Nebraska/ Lincoln  Northampton County Area Community College  Temple University of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education  Texas A&M University  University of Texas/ Pan American  University of Vermont and State Agricultural College  Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (University of  Wisconsin/ Milwaukee)

Appendix V: Comments from the Department of Education

Appendix VI: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments

	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.
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.