Students with Disabilities 

at Degree-Granting 

Postsecondary Institutions

First Look

NCES 2011-018 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Students With Disabilities at Degree-Granting 

Postsecondary Institutions 

First Look

June 2011 

Kimberley Raue

Laurie Lewis

Westat

Jared Coopersmith

Project Officer

National Center for Education Statistics

NCES 2011–018

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education 

Arne Duncan

Secretary

Institute of Education Sciences 

John Q. Easton

Director

National Center for Education Statistics

Jack Buckley

Commissioner

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Suggested Citation 

Raue, K., and Lewis, L. (2011). Students With Disabilities at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions

(NCES 2011–018). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, 

DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 

For ordering information on this report, write to

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Content Contact

Jared Coopersmith

(202) 219-7106

jared.coopersmith@ed.gov
iii

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to recognize the respondents from postsecondary education institutions who 

provided data on students with disabilities upon which the report is based and the sponsors from the 

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education. 
This page intentionally left blank.
v 

Contents

Page

Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... iii

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vi

List of Appendix A Tables .......................................................................................................... viii

List of Appendix B Tables .............................................................................................................. x 

First Look Summary ....................................................................................................................... 1 

Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 

Selected Findings .................................................................................................................... 2 

Tables .............................................................................................................................................. 5 

References ..................................................................................................................................... 19 

Appendix A: Standard Error Tables .......................................................................................... A-1 

Appendix B: Technical Notes .................................................................................................... B-1 

Appendix C: Questionnaire ....................................................................................................... C-1 
vi

List of Tables

Table Page

1 Number of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions, and 

number and percent that enrolled students with disabilities, by institutional 

characteristics: 2008–09 ............................................................................................. 5 

2 Number of students with disabilities and the percentage distribution of 2-year and 

4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that enrolled students with 

disabilities, by the type of count used by the institution for the number of students 

with disabilities and institutional characteristics: 2008–09 ........................................ 6 

3 Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions enrolling

any students in each disability category, by institutional characteristics: 2008–09 ... 7 

4 Percentage distribution of disabilities reported by 2-year and 4-year degreegranting postsecondary institutions that enrolled students with disabilities, by 

disability category and institutional characteristics: 2008–09 .................................... 8 

5 Percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions enrolling students with disabilities indicating the basis for their counts 

of the total number of students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 

2008–09 ...................................................................................................................... 9 

6 Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions enrolling 

students with disabilities that provided various services or accommodations to 

students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2008–09 .......................... 10 

7 Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that 

require verification of student disabilities, and what those institutions accept as 

sufficient, stand-alone verification, by institutional characteristics: 2009 ................. 12 

8 Percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions indicating the extent to which the person or office responsible for 

providing support services to students with disabilities worked, either formally or 

informally, with the state vocational rehabilitation agency regarding students with 

disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2009 ....................................................... 13 

9 Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that 

distribute materials designed to encourage students with disabilities to identify 

themselves to the institution, and the percent that provide various kinds of 

education materials or activities designed to assist faculty and staff in working 

with students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2009 ........................ 14 
vii 

List of Tables (Continued)

Table Page

10 Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that use a 

main website, and the percentage distribution of the extent to which those 

institutions’ main websites follow established accessibility guidelines or 

recommendations for users with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2009 .. 15 

11 Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions indicating 

that their institution conducts various activities related to accessibility and 

provides various services and accommodations to the general public, 

by institutional characteristics: 2009 .......................................................................... 16 

12 Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions indicating that 

various barriers hinder the implementation of Universal Design features at their 

institution to a moderate or major extent, by institutional characteristics: 2009 ........ 17 
viii

List of Appendix A Tables

Table Page

1a Standard errors for the number of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions, and number and percent that enrolled students with 

disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2008–09 ................................................. A-3 

2a Standard errors for the number of students with disabilities and the percentage 

distribution of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that 

enrolled students with disabilities, by the type of count used by the institution for 

the number of students with disabilities and institutional characteristics: 2008–09 .. A-4 

3a Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions enrolling any students in each disability category, 

by institutional characteristics: 2008–09 .................................................................... A-5 

4a Standard errors for the percentage distribution of disabilities reported by 2-year 

and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that enrolled students with 

disabilities, by disability category and institutional characteristics: 2008–09 ........... A-6 

5a Standard errors for the percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degreegranting postsecondary institutions enrolling students with disabilities indicating 

the basis for their counts of the total number of students with disabilities, 

by institutional characteristics: 2008–09 .................................................................... A-7 

6a Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions enrolling students with disabilities that provided 

various services or accommodations to students with disabilities, by institutional 

characteristics: 2008–09 ............................................................................................. A-8 

7a Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions that require verification of student disabilities, and what 

those institutions accept as sufficient, stand-alone verification, by institutional 

characteristics: 2009 ................................................................................................... A-10 

8a Standard errors for the percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degreegranting postsecondary institutions indicating the extent to which the person or 

office responsible for providing support services to students with disabilities 

worked, either formally or informally, with the state vocational rehabilitation 

agency regarding students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2009 .... A-11 
ix

List of Appendix A Tables (Continued)

Table Page

9a Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions that distribute materials designed to encourage students 

with disabilities to identify themselves to the institution, and the percent that 

provide various kinds of education materials or activities designed to assist faculty 

and staff in working with students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 

2009 ............................................................................................................................ A-12 

10a Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions that use a main website, and percentage distribution of 

the extent to which those institutions’ main websites follow established 

accessibility guidelines or recommendations for users with disabilities, 

by institutional characteristics: 2009 .......................................................................... A-13 

11a Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions indicating that their institution conducts various 

activities related to accessibility and provides various services and 

accommodations to the general public, by institutional characteristics: 2009 ........... A-14 

12a Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions indicating that various barriers hinder the 

implementation of Universal Design features at their institution to a moderate or 

major extent, by institutional characteristics: 2009 .................................................... A-15 
x 

List of Appendix B Tables

Table Page

B-1 Number and percent of degree-granting postsecondary institutions in study, and 

estimated number and percent in the nation, for the total sample and for 

institutions that enrolled students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 

2008–09 ...................................................................................................................... B-4 

B-2 Percent of cases with imputed data in the respondent sample, and percent of cases 

with imputed data the sample represents, by questionnaire items: 2008–09 .............. B-5 
1 

First Look Summary

Introduction

Growing enrollments of students with disabilities in postsecondary education (Newman et al. 2010; 

Snyder and Dillow 2010), along with recent key legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act 

Amendments Act of 2008 and the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act,1 have generated considerable 

interest in research on accessibility of higher education for students with disabilities. This report provides 

national data collected from degree-granting postsecondary institutions about students with disabilities, 

the services and accommodations provided to these students, and various aspects of institutional 

accessibility. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) previously reported results from a 

similar survey conducted in 1998 (Lewis and Farris 1999).2

 The estimates presented in the current report 

are based on a survey of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions conducted during 

the 2009–10 academic year. For the current study, a disability was defined as a physical or mental 

condition that causes functional limitations that substantially limit one or more major life activities, 

including mobility, communication (seeing, hearing, speaking), and learning. Information in this report 

about students with disabilities represents only those students who had identified themselves in some way 

to the institution as having a disability, since these are the only students about whom the institutions could 

report. The survey also included questions about institutional practices and accessibility that were 

completed by all institutions regardless of whether they enrolled any students with disabilities. 

This study, requested by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in the 

U.S. Department of Education, collected information from postsecondary institutions in the United States 

on the enrollment of students with disabilities, services and accommodations provided, documentation 

accepted as verification of a disability, educational and accessibility materials and activities provided, and 

Universal Design.3

 Specifically, the survey covered the following:

• Whether institutions had any students enrolled who identified themselves to the institution as having a 

disability during the 12-month 2008–09 academic year, and if so, the total number of students with 

disabilities enrolled at the institution and the number of students in each of 11 specific disability 

categories;

4

 

• Whether enrollments provided by institutions were unduplicated (each student with a disability was 

counted only once regardless of the number of disabilities he or she has) or duplicated (students with 

multiple disabilities were counted multiple times) to reflect differences in institutions’ record-keeping 

practices; 

• Whether the enrollment counts included students who identified themselves as having a disability to 

the institution, received services and accommodations, and/or whose disabilities were verified;

 

1 The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 broadened the interpretation of disability relative to the original law. More 

information can be found at http://www.access-board.gov/about/laws/ada-amendments.htm. The 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act

reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965 and included financial assistance for individuals with intellectual disabilities and the creation of 

new programs for students with disabilities. More information can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html. 2 While some items across the surveys are comparable, the specific disability categories are different. Only data from the current survey are 

included in this report. 

3 Universal Design is an approach to the design of all products and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible 

regardless of age, ability, or situation.

4 Disability categories used in the survey were developed in consultation with NCES and OSERS and are based on categories established in the 

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
2 

• Types of support services and accommodations provided to students with disabilities during the 

12-month 2008–09 academic year;

• Types of documentation institutions accept as sufficient, stand-alone verification of a disability; 

• Extent to which institutions work with a state vocational rehabilitation agency; 

• Institutional materials and activities designed to assist students with disabilities, including materials 

designed to encourage students with disabilities to identify themselves to institutions, and materials 

and activities to assist faculty and staff in working with these students;

• Extent to which institutions’ main websites follow accessibility guidelines for users with disabilities;

• Whether institutions conduct various activities related to accessibility and provide various services 

and accommodations to the general public; and

• Barriers to Universal Design, an approach that integrates accessibility features into the overall design 

of products and environments. 

The survey was conducted for NCES during the 2009–10 academic year using the Postsecondary 

Education Quick Information System (PEQIS). PEQIS is a survey system designed to collect small 

amounts of issue-oriented data from a previously recruited, nationally representative sample of 

institutions with minimal burden on respondents and within a relatively short period of time. 

Questionnaires were mailed to approximately 1,600 Title IV eligible, degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.5

 The unweighted survey response rate was 

91 percent and the weighted response rate was 89 percent. Data were adjusted for questionnaire 

nonresponse and weighted to yield national estimates that represent the estimated 4,200 2-year and 4-year 

Title IV eligible degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States (see appendix B for more 

information about weighting and response rates). 

Because the purpose of this report is to introduce new NCES data through the presentation of tables 

containing descriptive information, only selected findings are presented. These findings have been 

chosen to demonstrate the range of information available from the PEQIS study rather than to discuss all 

of the observed differences; they are not meant to emphasize any particular issue. The findings are based 

on self-reported data from postsecondary institutions. Respondents were asked to report counts of 

students with disabilities, and the services and accommodations provided to students with disabilities, for 

the 2008–09 12-month academic year. For the remaining questions, respondents were asked without 

reference to a specific time frame. Some of the survey response categories (e.g., minor, moderate, and 

major extent) were not defined for respondents. Tables of standard error estimates are provided in 

appendix A. Detailed information about the survey methodology is provided in appendix B, and the 

questionnaire can be found in appendix C. Appendix B also includes definitions of the analysis variables 

(e.g., institutional type) and terms used in the report.

Selected Findings

This section presents key findings on students with disabilities at 2-year and 4-year Title IV eligible 

degree-granting postsecondary institutions. 

 

5 Institutions participating in Title IV federal student financial aid programs (such as Pell grants or Stafford loans) are accredited by an agency or

organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, have a program of more than 300 clock hours or 8 credit hours, have been in 

business for at least 2 years, and have a signed Program Participation Agreement with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), 

U.S. Department of Education. Degree-granting institutions are those that offer an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, doctor’s, or first-professional 

degree (Knapp et al. 2001).
3 

• During the 12-month 2008–09 academic year, 88 percent of 2-year and 4-year Title IV degreegranting postsecondary institutions reported enrolling students with disabilities (table 1). Almost all 

public 2-year and 4-year institutions (99 percent) and medium and large institutions6 (100 percent) 

reported enrolling students with disabilities.

• Institutions reported enrolling approximately 707,000 students with disabilities in the 12-month 

2008–09 academic year, with about half of these students reported enrolled in public 2-year 

institutions (table 2). While the reported number of students with disabilities is overestimated due to 

duplicated student counts, this estimate largely reflects unduplicated counts of students with 

disabilities; most institutions (94 percent) provided an unduplicated count of the total number of 

students with disabilities at their institution.7

 

• A large percentage of institutions that enrolled students with disabilities during the 12-month 

2008–09 academic year reported enrolling students with specific learning disabilities (86 percent), 

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (79 percent), 

mobility limitations or orthopedic impairments (76 percent), or mental illness/psychological or 

psychiatric conditions (76 percent) (table 3). 

• Regarding the types of student disabilities reported by institutions, about one-third of disabilities 

reported by institutions were specific learning disabilities (31 percent) (table 4). Eighteen percent of 

disabilities reported by institutions were for students with ADD/ADHD, 15 percent of disabilities 

were mental illness/psychological or psychiatric conditions, and 11 percent of disabilities were a 

health impairment/condition. For the institutions reporting duplicated counts, students with more than 

one disability were counted more than once.

• About half (55 percent) of institutions reported that the counts of enrollments they provided included 

students who provided verification of their disabilities, regardless of whether services and 

accommodations were provided in the 2008–09 academic year (table 5). 

• Among institutions that enrolled students with disabilities during the 2008–09 academic year, 

93 percent provided additional exam time as an accommodation to students with disabilities (table 6). 

Large percentages of institutions also provided classroom notetakers (77 percent), faculty-provided 

written course notes or assignments (72 percent), help with learning strategies or study skills 

(72 percent), alternative exam formats (71 percent), and adaptive equipment and technology 

(70 percent).

• When asked about the types of documentation that institutions accept as sufficient, stand-alone 

verification of student disabilities, 92 percent of institutions reported that they require verification of 

student disabilities for some purpose, although the specific purpose of the verification was not 

requested (table 7). Of these institutions, 44 percent accepted an Individualized Education Program 

(IEP) and 40 percent accepted a 504 Plan from a secondary school as sufficient, stand-alone 

verification,8 while 80 percent accepted a comprehensive vocational rehabilitation agency evaluation.

• About one-third (37 percent) of institutions reported working, either formally or informally, with the 

state vocational rehabilitation agency regarding students with disabilities to a minor extent (table 8). 

 

6 Small institutions were those that enrolled less than 3,000 students; medium institutions enrolled 3,000 to 9,999 students; and large institutions 

enrolled 10,000 or more students.

7 During development of the questionnaire, respondents indicated that not all institutions are able to provide unduplicated counts of enrollments 

of students with disabilities. Thus, the questionnaire was structured to allow institutions to provide duplicated, unduplicated, or some other types 

of counts of their institutions’ students with disabilities depending on their record-keeping system. Reported enrollments include all types of 

counts and therefore are overestimates of the number of students with disabilities due to duplicated student counts. 8 An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written plan that is designed for any student who receives special education and related 

services. A 504 Plan is developed for each student who meets the eligibility guidelines under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and 

specifies the nature of the impairment and the accommodations necessary to meet the student’s needs. More information can be found in 

appendix B in the section on definitions of terms used in the report.
4 

An additional 26 percent reported working with the state vocational rehabilitation agency to a 

moderate extent. 

• About three-quarters (79 percent) of institutions reported distributing materials designed to encourage 

students with disabilities to identify themselves to the institution (table 9). Most institutions 

(92 percent) provided one-on-one discussions when requested to assist faculty and staff in working 

with students with disabilities. 

• Almost all institutions (93 percent) reported using a main website to post information about the 

institution (table 10). Of those institutions, 24 percent reported that the institution’s main website 

follows established accessibility guidelines9

 or recommendations for users with disabilities to a major 

extent. 

• Many institutions reported integrating accessibility features during major renovation and new 

construction projects (89 percent); offering students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to provide 

input on accessibility features during project planning stages (65 percent); and conducting needs 

assessments pertaining to accessibility (64 percent) (table 11). About a third of institutions reported 

providing various services and accommodations to the general public, for example, publicizing the 

availability of adaptive equipment, technology, or services at institution-sponsored events open to the 

public (35 percent). 

• A few of the barriers cited by institutions as hindering implementation of Universal Design to a 

moderate or major extent were limited staff resources to provide faculty and staff training on 

accessibility issues (52 percent), costs associated with purchasing appropriate technology 

(46 percent), and other institutional priorities (45 percent) (table 12). 

 

9 One example of accessibility guidelines is provided by the World Wide Web Consortium at 

http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/versions/guidelines/wcag20-guidelines-20081211-letter.pdf. 
5 

Table 1. Number of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions, and number 

and percent that enrolled students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 

2008–09 

Institutional characteristic

Total number 

of institutions

Institutions enrolling students with disabilities

Number Percent

 All institutions ........................................ 4,170 3,680 88

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ............................................ 1,040 1,040 99

Private not-for-profit 2-year ..................... 110 90 76

Private for-profit 2-year ........................... 480 310 63

Public 4-year ............................................ 630 620 99

Private not-for-profit 4-year ..................... 1,510 1,340 88

Private for-profit 4-year ........................... 390 290 74

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ........................................ 2,720 2,230 82

3,000 to 9,999 .......................................... 960 960 1001

10,000 or more ......................................... 490 490 100 1 Rounds to 100 percent.

NOTE: Information about students with disabilities represents only those students who identified themselves to their institution as having a 

disability, since these are the only students about whom the institutions could report. Data are for the 12-month 2008–09 academic year. Detail 

may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009. 
6

Table 2. Number of students with disabilities and the percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions that enrolled students with disabilities, by the type of count used by the institution for the number of students with 

disabilities and institutional characteristics: 2008–09

Institutional characteristic

Maximum number of 

students with 

any disability1 

Type of count used by the institution for the number of students with disabilities

Number of students with 

disabilities reported by institutions 

using this type of count

Percentage distribution of institutions 

using this type of count

Unduplicated Duplicated Other2 Unduplicated Duplicated Other2

All institutions .................................................................................. 707,000 645,700 46,500 14,800 94 5 1

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ...................................................................................... 354,200 317,500 25,400 11,300 92 7 1

Private not-for-profit 2-year ............................................................... 1,400 1,400 ‡ # 97 3! #

Private for-profit 2-year ..................................................................... 9,500 9,500 ‡ # 100 # #

Public 4-year ...................................................................................... 215,000 202,200 9,400 3,400 96 3 1

Private not-for-profit 4-year ............................................................... 116,400 105,600 10,800 # 95 5 #

Private for-profit 4-year ..................................................................... 10,400 9,500 ‡ # 93 7! #

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 .................................................................................. 109,400 98,700 10,600 # 96 4 #

3,000 to 9,999 .................................................................................... 230,400 209,100 17,900 3,500 92 7 1

10,000 or more ................................................................................... 367,200 337,900 18,000 11,300 94 5 2

# Rounds to zero.

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

‡ Reporting standards not met.

1 Enrollments provided by institutions were unduplicated (each student with a disability was counted only once regardless of the number of disabilities he or she has), duplicated (students with multiple 

disabilities were counted multiple times), or another type of count. Reported enrollments include all types of counts and therefore are overestimates of the number of students with disabilities due to 

duplicated student counts. 

2 A small number of institutions reported student counts that did not meet the survey definitions of unduplicated or duplicated. Most commonly, these institutions reported counts in which students were 

duplicated by semester rather than by disability (i.e., students with disabilities were counted for each semester that they were enrolled during the 2008–09 12-month academic year). 

NOTE: Percentages are based on the 88 percent of institutions that enrolled students with disabilities in the 12-month 2008–09 academic year. Information about students with disabilities represents only 

those students who identified themselves to their institution as having a disability, since these are the only students about whom the institutions could report. Detail may not sum to totals because of 

rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009.
7 

Table 3. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions enrolling any students in each disability category, 

by institutional characteristics: 2008–09

Institutional characteristic

Difficulty 

hearing1 

Difficulty 

seeing2 

Difficulty 

speaking 

or 

language 

impairment

Mobility 

limitation/

orthopedic

impairment

Traumatic 

brain 

injury

Specific 

learning 

disabilities

ADD or 

ADHD3

Autism 

Spectrum 

Disorders4

Cognitive 

difficulties

or

intellectual 

disability

Health 

impairment/

condition, 

including 

chronic 

conditions

Mental 

illness/

psychological 

or psychiatric 

condition5 Other

All institutions ................................ 73 67 35 76 56 86 79 56 41 73 76 17

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .................................... 90 84 53 90 74 94 87 70 71 80 87 26

Private not-for-profit 2-year ............. 29 26 18 35 26 67 53 36 30 56 76 7!

Private for-profit 2-year ................... 32 35 18 70 25 60 40 18 26 47 53 3!

Public 4-year .................................... 92 90 46 93 84 97 94 78 39 95 94 30

Private not-for-profit 4-year ............. 65 59 25 68 47 84 78 49 26 72 69 11

Private for-profit 4-year ................... 60 37 16 46 19 72 64 34 27 39 52 8

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ................................ 57 47 22 63 37 78 69 38 31 61 62 8 

3,000 to 9,999 .................................. 96 95 51 96 84 98 94 82 58 92 97 26

10,000 or more ................................. 1006 1006 63 98 91 99 92 84 57 93 98 41

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

1 Difficulty hearing includes deaf and hard of hearing. 

2 Difficulty seeing includes blindness or visual impairment that cannot be corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses. 3 ADD or ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder respectively.

4 Autism Spectrum Disordersincludes Asperger Syndrome. 5 Mental illness/psychological or psychiatric condition includes depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 6 Rounds to 100 percent.

NOTE: Percentages are based on the 88 percent of institutions that enrolled students with disabilities in the 12-month 2008–09 academic year. Information about students with disabilities represents 

only those students who identified themselves to their institution as having a disability, since these are the only students about whom the institutions could report. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009. 
8

Table 4. Percentage distribution of disabilities reported by 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that enrolled 

students with disabilities, by disability category and institutional characteristics: 2008–09 

Institutional characteristic

Difficulty 

hearing1 

Difficulty 

seeing2 

Difficulty 

speaking 

or language 

impairment

Mobility 

limitation/

orthopedic

impairment

Traumatic 

brain injury

Specific 

learning 

disabilities

ADD or 

ADHD3

Autism 

Spectrum 

Disorders4

Cognitive 

difficulties

or

intellectual 

disability 

Health 

impairment/

condition, 

including 

chronic 

conditions

Mental 

illness/

psychological or 

psychiatric 

condition5 Other

 All institutions ........................ 4 3 1 7 2 31 18 2 3 11 15 3 

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ............................ 4 3 1 8 3 31 13 2 5 10 15 5 

Private not-for-profit 2-year ..... 4! 4 2 4 3 28 13 5! 16! 9 11 2!

Private for-profit 2-year ........... 2 1 1 8 1 46 13! 1! 8! 5 11 2!

Public 4-year ............................ 3 3 1 7 2 29 23 2 1 11 16 3 

Private not-for-profit 4-year ..... 3 2 1 3 1 36 26 2 1 11 13 2

Private for-profit 4-year ........... 4 2 1 4 2 29 22 4 8 9 14 1!

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ........................ 3 2 1 5 2 36 22 2 3 10 13 2

3,000 to 9,999 .......................... 3 3 1 7 2 33 17 2 3 11 15 3

10,000 or more ......................... 4 3 1 8 3 29 18 2 3 10 16 4 

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

1 Difficulty hearing includes deaf and hard of hearing. 

2 Difficulty seeing includes blindness or visual impairment that cannot be corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses. 3 ADD or ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder respectively.

4 Autism Spectrum Disordersincludes Asperger Syndrome. 5 Mental illness/psychological or psychiatric condition includes depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

NOTE: Information about students with disabilities represents only those students who identified themselves to their institution as having a disability, since these are the only students about whom the 

institutions could report. Enrollments provided by institutions were unduplicated (each student with a disability was counted only once regardless of the number of disabilities he or she has), duplicated 

(students with multiple disabilities were counted multiple times), or another type of count (e.g., counts in which students with disabilities were counted for each semester that they were enrolled during 

the 2008–09 12-month academic year). The percentage distribution of disabilities reported by the institutions was computed by dividing the number of enrollments in a particular disability category by 

the sum of the number of enrollments in all the disability categories. Data are for the 12-month 2008–09 academic year. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009. 
9 

Table 5. Percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions 

enrolling students with disabilities indicating the basis for their counts of the total 

number of students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2008–09

Institutional characteristic

Only students to 

whom services/

accommodations 

were provided, 

regardless of 

whether 

disabilities were 

verified

Students who 

provided 

verification 

of their 

disabilities, 

regardless of 

whether services/ 

accommodations 

were provided

Students who 

identified 

themselves to 

the school office as 

having a 

disability, 

regardless of 

whether 

disabilities were 

verified or 

services/

accommodations 

were provided

Students 

who have been 

reported to the 

school office as 

having identified 

themselves as 

having a 

disability, 

regardless of 

whether the

office had any 

contact with them1 Other

All institutions ..................................... 20 55 18 5 2

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ......................................... 21 54 16 8 1

Private not-for-profit 2-year .................. 6! 42 38 14! ‡

Private for-profit 2-year ........................ 13 48 31 3! 4!

Public 4-year ......................................... 20 65 11 1 2

Private not-for-profit 4-year .................. 19 56 19 4 2

Private for-profit 4-year ........................ 29 38 24 10 ‡

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ..................................... 19 49 23 6 2

3,000 to 9,999 ....................................... 21 61 12 5 1

10,000 or more ...................................... 19 67 9 2 3

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

‡ Reporting standards not met.

1 This includes information provided to the responding office about students with disabilities by other offices (e.g., the admissions or registrar’s 

office), even if the responding office had no contact with them.

NOTE: Percentages are based on the 88 percent of institutions that enrolled students with disabilities in the 12-month 2008–09 academic year. 

Information about students with disabilities represents only those students who identified themselves to their institution as having a disability, 

since these are the only students about whom the institutions could report. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
10

Table 6. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions enrolling students with disabilities that provided 

various services or accommodations to students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2008–09 

Institutional characteristic

Sign 

language 

interpreters/

transliteratorsReal-time 

captioning

Oral 

interpreters/

transliterators Readers

Classroom 

notetakers 

or scribes

Facultyprovided 

written 

course

notes or 

assignments

Adaptive 

equipment 

and 

technology1 

Physical 

adaptations 

to 

classrooms

Paratransit 

for oncampus 

mobility

Personal 

attendants

Independent 

living skills 

training

Audio 

textbooks/

digitally 

recorded 

texts

 All institutions ............................... 48 25 22 62 77 72 70 58 14 7 4 66

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ................................... 70 29 33 81 90 81 86 75 11 9 7 82

Private not-for-profit 2-year ............ ‡ ‡ 12! 46 56 50 52 20! 12! 6! ‡ 40

Private for-profit 2-year .................. 29 10! 13 31 41 47 26 50 3! 10! ‡ 19

Public 4-year ................................... 69 43 28 79 92 79 87 74 30 4 7 88

Private not-for-profit 4-year ............ 29 15 12 51 74 67 62 49 13 8 3 61

Private for-profit 4-year .................. 52 35 31 48 54 74 61 28 5! ‡ 3! 48

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ............................... 27 12 15 47 64 65 54 45 8 8 2 49

3,000 to 9,999 ................................. 75 31 27 84 95 82 93 76 17 6 7 92

10,000 or more ................................ 96 67 45 91 99 80 98 86 34 4 9 97

See notes at end of table.
11

Table 6. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions enrolling students with disabilities that provided 

various services or accommodations to students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2008–09—Continued

Institutional characteristic

Large 

print or 

Braille 

materials

Help with 

learning 

strategies 

or study 

skills

Tutors to 

assist with 

ongoing 

coursework

Alternative 

exam 

formats2

Additional 

exam time

Course 

substitution 

or waiver

Priority 

class 

registration

Disability 

resource 

handbook

Career or 

placement 

services 

targeted 

for 

students 

with 

disabilities

Disability 

benefits 

counseling3 

Counseling 

about 

vocational 

rehabilitation 

services

Moving 

classes 

to a more 

accessible 

location Other

All institutions .......................... 51 72 58 71 93 35 42 38 26 11 44 46 16

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .............................. 67 83 68 85 97 39 52 53 34 18 70 48 18

Private not-for-profit 2-year ....... 12! 83 83 26 73 11! 22! 42 11! 21! 46 32 17!

Private for-profit 2-year ............. 20 53 56 34 84 10! 9 7! 25 13 38 12 7!

Public 4-year .............................. 73 76 50 89 99 61 70 52 37 14 58 67 21

Private not-for-profit 4-year ....... 41 68 57 67 93 34 36 28 21 6 23 51 16

Private for-profit 4-year ............. 40 56 43 55 77 8 21 32 7! 3! 18 7! 14

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 .......................... 33 66 57 56 88 20 26 27 18 8 31 33 14

3,000 to 9,999 ............................ 74 82 65 92 99 51 62 50 34 16 62 60 18

10,000 or more ........................... 92 76 49 98 100 74 78 64 48 16 66 76 23

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

‡ Reporting standards not met. 1 Adaptive equipment and technology includes assistive listening devices and talking computers.

2 Alternative exam formats include large print, Braille, and audio formats.

3 Disability benefits counseling includes Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), Medicare, and Medicaid.

NOTE: Percentages are based on the 88 percent of institutions that enrolled students with disabilities in the 12-month 2008–09 academic year. Information about students with disabilities represents only 

those students who identified themselves to their institution as having a disability, since these are the only students about whom the institutions could report. The accommodations in the table are not an 

exhaustive list of either the accommodations a student may need or the accommodations an institution may provide. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009.
12 

Table 7. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that require 

verification of student disabilities, and what those institutions accept as sufficient, standalone verification, by institutional characteristics: 2009

Institutional characteristic

Require

verification

Accepted as sufficient, stand-alone verification1

Comprehensive 

vocational 

rehabilitation 

agency evaluation 

Individualized 

Education Program 

(IEP) from a 

secondary school

504 Plan from a 

secondary school

 All institutions ...................................... 92 80 44 40

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .......................................... 99 92 48 43

Private not-for-profit 2-year ................... 87 81 59 45

Private for-profit 2-year ......................... 82 81 66 60

Public 4-year .......................................... 98 86 27 27

Private not-for-profit 4-year ................... 87 67 39 38

Private for-profit 4-year ......................... 100 85 50 41

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ...................................... 89 77 50 45

3,000 to 9,999 ........................................ 1002 89 37 36

10,000 or more ....................................... 100 83 28 25 1 Based on the 92 percent of institutions that require verification of student disabilities. 

2 Rounds to 100 percent.

NOTE: An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written plan that is designed for any student who receives special education and related 

services. A 504 Plan is developed for each student who meets the eligibility guidelines under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and

specifies the nature of the impairment and the accommodations necessary to meet the student’s needs. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
13 

Table 8. Percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions 

indicating the extent to which the person or office responsible for providing support 

services to students with disabilities worked, either formally or informally, with the state 

vocational rehabilitation agency regarding students with disabilities, by institutional 

characteristics: 2009 

Institutional characteristic

Extent person or office responsible for students with disabilities worked with state 

vocational rehabilitation agency

Not at all Minor extent Moderate extent Major extent Don’t know

 All institutions ..................................... 17 37 26 15 5 

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ......................................... 2 24 41 33 1 

Private not-for-profit 2-year .................. 8! 47 29 8! 8!

Private for-profit 2-year ........................ 17 38 35 5! 6!

Public 4-year ......................................... 7 31 38 22 1 

Private not-for-profit 4-year .................. 33 40 13 5 9 

Private for-profit 4-year ........................ 11 64 9! 7! 9!

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ..................................... 23 40 21 9 8 

3,000 to 9,999 ....................................... 6 31 35 26 2 

10,000 or more ...................................... 3 31 40 25 # 

# Rounds to zero.

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

NOTE: Percentages are based on all institutions, regardless of whether they enrolled students with disabilities. These categories (i.e., not at all,

minor extent, moderate extent, etc.) were not defined in the questionnaire. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
14 

Table 9. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that distribute 

materials designed to encourage students with disabilities to identify themselves to the 

institution, and the percent that provide various kinds of education materials or activities 

designed to assist faculty and staff in working with students with disabilities, 

by institutional characteristics: 2009 

Institutional characteristic

Distribute 

materials 

designed to 

encourage 

students 

with 

disabilities 

to identify 

themselves 

Education materials or activities designed to assist faculty and staff

One-on-one 

discussions 

with faculty/

staff who 

request 

information 

or assistance

Workshops 

and presentations to 

faculty 

groups

Faculty/

staff 

handbook

Information 

resources 

(e.g., books, 

videos) 

available for 

faculty/

staff use

Annual 

mailings or 

e-mails to 

faculty/

staff

Collection 

of resources 

available 

on 

institution’s 

website Other

 All institutions .................... 79 92 64 58 54 46 40 12

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ........................ 90 98 79 69 69 63 55 15

Private not-for-profit 2-year . 59 83 52 44 36 38 16! 8!

Private for-profit 2-year ........ 56 91 44 53 45 12 19 3!

Public 4-year ........................ 92 97 84 58 68 62 68 15

Private not-for-profit 4-year . 76 89 51 48 44 44 31 13

Private for-profit 4-year ........ 69 87 70 72 43 21 15 3!

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ...................... 71 89 52 54 45 36 24 9 

3,000 to 9,999 ........................ 93 99 84 66 69 65 61 13

10,000 or more ..................... 92 99 94 65 73 62 83 20

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
15 

Table 10. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions that use a main 

website, and the percentage distribution of the extent to which those institutions’ main 

websites follow established accessibility guidelines or recommendations for users with 

disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2009 

Institutional characteristic

Main website 

used

Extent main website follows established accessibility guidelines1 

Not 

at all

Minor 

extent

Moderate 

extent

Major 

extent

Don’t 

know

All institutions ..................................... 93 11 15 23 24 27

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ......................................... 98 4 15 32 36 13

Private not-for-profit 2-year .................. 84 51 11! 5! ‡ 33

Private for-profit 2-year ........................ 89 24 15 ‡ 9 51

Public 4-year ......................................... 96 4 12 29 40 15

Private not-for-profit 4-year .................. 90 15 17 23 12 33

Private for-profit 4-year ........................ 91 6! 12! 20 30 33

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ..................................... 89 17 17 17 15 34

3,000 to 9,999 ....................................... 99 3 12 34 33 17

10,000 or more ...................................... 1002 # 6 31 52 11

# Rounds to zero.

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

‡ Reporting standards not met.

1 Based on the 93 percent of institutions that use a main website. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines from the World Wide Web Consortium 

can be found at http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/ versions/guidelines/wcag20-guidelines-20081211-letter.pdf. 2 Rounds to 100 percent.

NOTE: Categories (i.e., not at all, minor extent, moderate extent, and major extant) were not defined in the questionnaire. Detail may not sum to 

totals because of rounding. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
16

Table 11. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions indicating that their institution conducts various 

activities related to accessibility and provides various services and accommodations to the general public, by institutional 

characteristics: 2009

Institutional characteristic

Activities related to accessibility conducted by the institution

Services and accommodations 

provided to the general public

Integrate 

accessibility 

features during 

major renovation 

and new 

construction 

projects

Offer students, 

faculty, and staff 

the opportunity to 

provide input on 

accessibility 

features during 

project planning 

stages

Conduct needs 

assessments 

pertaining to 

accessibility

Have 

procurement 

policies that 

promote the 

purchase of 

accessible 

products 

(e.g., technology)

Provide regular 

training 

opportunities to 

faculty about 

ways to make 

instruction more 

accessible to all 

students

Publicize the 

availability 

of adaptive 

equipment, 

technology, or 

services1

at institutionsponsored 

events open to the 

public

Offer printed 

materials in 

alternate formats

Provide outreach 

to community 

members 

with disabilities

 All institutions .................................. 89 65 64 53 46 35 33 29

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ...................................... 95 75 70 65 56 56 48 53

Private not-for-profit 2-year ............... 91 56 59 43 44 15! 20 17!

Private for-profit 2-year ..................... 88 57 58 42 52 6! 13 9 

Public 4-year ...................................... 96 73 72 61 49 61 57 43

Private not-for-profit 4-year ............... 84 63 57 42 35 27 22 19

Private for-profit 4-year ..................... 86 43 64 66 52 11 24 6 

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 .................................. 86 60 58 47 42 19 22 18

3,000 to 9,999 .................................... 94 70 71 63 50 60 48 43

10,000 or more ................................... 95 80 79 64 60 73 64 57

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent. 1 Adaptive equipment, technology, or services include assistive listening devices and sign language interpreters.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009.
17

Table 12. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions indicating that various barriers hinder the 

implementation of Universal Design features at their institution to a moderate or major extent, by institutional characteristics: 

2009 

Institutional characteristic

Limited staff 

resources to 

provide faculty 

and staff with training on 

accessibility issues

Costs associated 

with purchasing 

appropriate technology

Other institutional 

priorities

Lack of incentives 

for faculty to change 

their instructional 

practices

Costs associated with 

incorporating 

Universal Design 

features into major 

renovation and 

new construction 

projects

All institutions ..................................................................... 52 46 45 41 41

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ......................................................................... 59 54 47 49 47

Private not-for-profit 2-year .................................................. 55 43 47 43 34

Private for-profit 2-year ........................................................ 25 30 27 14 30

Public 4-year ......................................................................... 70 50 58 62 44

Private not-for-profit 4-year .................................................. 55 49 47 40 44

Private for-profit 4-year ........................................................ 27 29 29 23 27

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ..................................................................... 46 44 39 33 39

3,000 to 9,999 ....................................................................... 63 52 52 53 47

10,000 or more ...................................................................... 66 47 61 65 42

See notes at end of table.
18

Table 12. Percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions indicating that various barriers hinder the 

implementation of Universal Design features at their institution to a moderate or major extent, by institutional characteristics: 

2009—Continued

Institutional characteristic

Limited ability to 

adapt or retrofit 

existing facilities 

(e.g., historical 

considerations)

Limited 

availability or interest 

on the part of faculty to 

participate in training 

opportunities related to 

accessibility issues

Lack of information 

and resources on 

Universal Design

Lack of perceived 

need for services and 

accommodations

A focus on minimal 

legal requirements 

for accessibility and 

accommodations

Questions about the 

usefulness 

of Universal Design

All institutions .......................................................... 39 38 38 35 30 25

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .............................................................. 33 49 41 33 33 30

Private not-for-profit 2-year ....................................... 43 43 46 44 42 28

Private for-profit 2-year ............................................. 23 12 18 20 12 19

Public 4-year .............................................................. 39 61 46 40 43 34

Private not-for-profit 4-year ....................................... 50 35 40 39 30 24

Private for-profit 4-year ............................................. 31 17 33 29 18 9!

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 .......................................................... 40 30 35 34 25 21

3,000 to 9,999 ............................................................ 37 49 44 35 37 30

10,000 or more ........................................................... 38 65 46 40 41 35

! Interpret data with caution; the coefficient of variation is greater than 50 percent.

NOTE: Universal Design is an approach to the design of all products and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability, or situation. Other terms for 

Universal Design include Design For All, Inclusive Design, and Barrier-Free Design. Universal Design can be distinguished from meeting accessibility standards in the way that the accessible features 

have been integrated into the overall design (from Universal Design Education Online project: http://www.udeducation.org). 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009.
19 

References

Brick, J.M., Morganstein, D.R., and Wolters, C.L. (1987). Additional Uses for Keyfitz Selection. Proceedings of the 

Section on Survey Research Methods, American Statistical Association, 787-791. 

Kish, L. (1965). Survey Sampling. New York: J. Wiley & Sons. 

Knapp, L.G., Kelly, J.E., Whitmore, R.W., Wu, S., Gallego, L.M., and Grau, E. (2001). Postsecondary Institutions 

in the United States: Fall 2000 and Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 1999–2000 (NCES 2002–156). 

National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. 

Levy, P., and Lemeshow, S. (1991). Sampling of Populations. New York: J. Wiley & Sons. 

Lewis, L., and Farris, E. (1994). Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Postsecondary Education (NCES 94-394). 

National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. 

Lewis, L., and Farris, E. (1999). An Institutional Perspective on Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary 

Institutions (NCES 1999–046). National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. 

Washington, DC. 

Newman, L., Wagner, M., Cameto, R., Knokey, A-M., and Shaver, D. (2010). Comparisons Across Time of the 

Outcomes of Youth With Disabilities up to 4 Years After High School. A Report of Findings From the 

National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 

(NLTS-2)(NCSER 2010-3008). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International. 

Snyder, T.D., and Dillow, S.A. (2010). Digest of Education Statistics 2009 (NCES 2010-013), (Table 231).

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. 

Washington, DC.
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A-1 

Appendix A

Standard Error Tables
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A-3 

Table 1a. Standard errors for the number of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions, and number and percent that enrolled students with disabilities, 

by institutional characteristics: 2008–09

Institutional characteristic

Total number 

of institutions

Institutions enrolling students with disabilities

Number Percent

 All institutions ...................................... 28 54 1.4

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .......................................... 12 14 0.6

Private not-for-profit 2-year ................... 16 17 11.8

Private for-profit 2-year ......................... 22 31 5.4

Public 4-year .......................................... 9 10 0.5

Private not-for-profit 4-year ................... 17 35 2.4

Private for-profit 4-year ......................... 15 31 7.1

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ...................................... 35 54 2.1

3,000 to 9,999 ........................................ 15 15 0.1

10,000 or more ....................................... 2 2 † 

† Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009. 
A-4 

Table 2a. Standard errors for the number of students with disabilities and the percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degreegranting postsecondary institutions that enrolled students with disabilities, by the type of count used by the institution for the 

number of students with disabilities and institutional characteristics: 2008–09

Institutional characteristic

Maximum number of 

students with 

any disability 

Type of count used by the institution for the number of students with disabilities

Number of students with 

disabilities reported by institutions 

using this type of count

Percentage distribution of institutions 

using this type of count

Unduplicated Duplicated Other Unduplicated Duplicated Other

All institutions ................................................................ 10,860 10,230 3,320 1,150 0.6 0.6 0.1

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .................................................................... 4,850 4,870 2,480 1,090 0.9 0.9 0.2

Private not-for-profit 2-year ............................................. 460 460 † † 2.9 2.9 †

Private for-profit 2-year ................................................... 3,570 3,570 † † † † †

Public 4-year .................................................................... 2,700 2,230 860 480 0.5 0.5 0.2

Private not-for-profit 4-year ............................................. 5,740 5,520 2,090 † 1.2 1.2 †

Private for-profit 4-year ................................................... 2,150 2,140 † † 4.9 4.9 †

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ................................................................ 10,090 9,430 2,910 † 1.0 1.0 †

3,000 to 9,999 .................................................................. 4,780 4,840 1,800 1,150 0.7 0.7 0.3

10,000 or more ................................................................. 370 370 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

† Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009.
A-5 

Table 3a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions enrolling any students in each 

disability category, by institutional characteristics: 2008–09 

Institutional characteristic

Difficulty 

hearing

Difficulty 

seeing

Difficulty 

speaking 

or language 

impairment

Mobility 

limitation/

orthopedic

impairment

Traumatic 

brain injury

Specific 

learning 

disabilities

ADD or 

ADHD

Autism 

Spectrum 

Disorders

Cognitive 

difficulties 

or 

intellectual 

disability

Health 

impairment/

condition, 

including 

chronic 

conditions

Mental 

illness/

psychological or 

psychiatric 

condition Other

 All institutions ................................ 1.7 1.7 1.1 1.6 2.2 1.5 1.9 1.9 1.4 1.5 1.4 0.9

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .................................... 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.4 1.9 1.3 1.5 1.8 1.6 2.0 1.8 1.3

Private not-for-profit 2-year ............. 12.4 12.3 7.4 12.6 12.3 14.4 15.2 14.5 8.1 15.2 8.1 4.1

Private for-profit 2-year ................... 7.0 9.7 6.3 7.7 11.2 9.8 10.1 8.8 8.0 9.9 10.0 2.8

Public 4-year .................................... 1.8 1.9 2.3 1.6 1.6 0.8 1.3 2.2 2.4 1.3 1.7 1.5

Private not-for-profit 4-year ............. 3.8 3.0 2.4 2.3 2.8 3.0 3.1 2.8 2.0 3.0 2.6 1.8

Private for-profit 4-year ................... 9.1 8.4 4.8 8.4 5.5 5.8 10.8 8.1 8.7 8.6 8.5 3.9

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ................................ 2.7 2.8 1.7 2.5 3.4 2.5 3.0 3.2 1.9 2.2 2.3 1.3

3,000 to 9,999 .................................. 0.9 1.2 1.6 0.6 1.6 0.5 1.1 1.3 1.8 1.3 0.6 1.6

10,000 or more ................................. 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.2

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009. 
A-6 

Table 4a. Standard errors for the percentage distribution of disabilities reported by 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions that enrolled students with disabilities, by disability category and institutional characteristics: 2008–09 

Institutional characteristic

Difficulty 

hearing 

Difficulty 

seeing

Difficulty 

speaking 

or language 

impairment

Mobility 

limitation/

orthopedic

impairment

Traumatic 

brain injury

Specific 

learning 

disabilities

ADD or 

ADHD

Autism 

Spectrum 

Disorders

Cognitive 

difficulties 

or 

intellectual 

disability

Health 

impairment/

condition, 

including 

chronic 

conditions

Mental 

illness/

psychological or 

psychiatric 

condition Other

 All institutions ........................... 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ............................... 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3

Private not-for-profit 2-year ........ 2.3 1.7 0.7 0.9 1.1 9.0 3.5 3.0 9.9 3.4 2.3 1.4

Private for-profit 2-year .............. 0.8 0.4 0.2 2.9 0.5 10.8 8.9 0.3 6.1 2.7 2.9 2.0

Public 4-year ............................... 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1

Private not-for-profit 4-year ........ 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.7 0.9 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.7 0.1

Private for-profit 4-year .............. 0.9 0.6 0.5 1.1 0.8 4.5 4.3 0.8 2.8 0.9 1.3 0.4

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ........................... 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.1 1.0 2.0 0.2 0.6 0.6 0.9 0.7

3,000 to 9,999 ............................. 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.2

10,000 or more ............................ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009. 
A-7 

Table 5a. Standard errors for the percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions enrolling students with disabilities indicating the basis for 

their counts of the total number of students with disabilities, by institutional 

characteristics: 2008–09

Institutional characteristic

Only students to 

whom services/

accommodations 

were provided, 

regardless of 

whether 

disabilities were 

verified

Students who 

provided 

verification 

of their 

disabilities, 

regardless of 

whether services/ 

accommodations 

were provided

Students who 

identified 

themselves to 

the school office as 

having a 

disability, 

regardless of 

whether 

disabilities were 

verified or 

services/

accommodations 

were provided

Students 

who have been 

reported to the 

school office as 

having identified 

themselves as 

having a 

disability, 

regardless of 

whether your 

office had any 

contact with them Other

 All institutions ..................................... 1.4 1.3 1.3 0.7 0.5

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ......................................... 1.7 2.2 1.9 1.2 0.4

Private not-for-profit 2-year .................. 5.2 14.6 14.9 10.7 † 

Private for-profit 2-year ........................ 6.1 8.7 8.3 1.6 4.3

Public 4-year ......................................... 1.8 2.4 1.7 0.4 0.5

Private not-for-profit 4-year .................. 2.4 2.6 2.1 1.2 1.0

Private for-profit 4-year ........................ 7.4 9.1 9.4 4.8 † 

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ..................................... 2.2 2.2 2.2 1.1 0.8

3,000 to 9,999 ....................................... 1.4 1.9 1.2 0.7 0.2

10,000 or more ...................................... 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0

† Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
A-8

Table 6a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions enrolling students with 

disabilities that provided various services or accommodations to students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 

2008–09 

Institutional characteristic

Sign 

language 

interpreters/

transliteratorsReal-time 

captioning

Oral 

interpreters/

transliterators Readers

Classroom 

notetakers 

or scribes

Facultyprovided 

written 

course

notes or 

assignments

Adaptive 

equipment

and 

technology

Physical 

adaptations 

to 

classrooms

Paratransit 

for oncampus 

mobility

Personal 

attendants

Independent 

living skills 

training

Audio 

textbooks/

digitally 

recorded 

texts

All institutions ............................... 1.7 1.2 0.9 1.5 1.5 1.3 1.9 1.8 0.8 0.9 0.4 1.4

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ................................... 1.9 1.5 1.8 1.9 1.6 1.6 2.0 1.8 1.4 1.5 1.0 1.6

Private not-for-profit 2-year ............ † † 6.8 14.6 15.2 15.3 14.4 11.7 6.8 5.2 † 14.6

Private for-profit 2-year .................. 8.2 5.3 6.5 8.8 10.5 8.6 7.2 11.0 2.8 5.2 † 7.3

Public 4-year ................................... 1.8 1.7 1.3 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.5 0.7 0.9 1.8

Private not-for-profit 4-year ............ 2.2 1.7 1.7 3.3 3.1 3.2 3.1 2.4 1.4 1.5 0.6 3.3

Private for-profit 4-year .................. 9.7 7.8 8.8 8.3 6.6 7.2 6.2 7.8 3.5 † 2.6 7.3

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ............................... 2.7 1.7 1.5 2.4 2.5 2.1 3.1 2.9 1.1 1.4 0.5 2.1

3,000 to 9,999 ................................. 1.5 1.4 1.6 1.5 1.2 1.6 0.7 1.6 1.5 0.9 1.2 1.0

10,000 or more ................................ 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0

See notes at end of table.
A-9

Table 6a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions enrolling students with 

disabilities that provided various services or accommodations to students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 

2008–09—Continued

Institutional characteristic

Large 

print or 

Braille 

materials

Help with 

learning 

strategies 

or study 

skills

Tutors to 

assist with 

ongoing 

coursework

Alternative 

exam 

formats

Additional 

exam time

Course 

substitution 

or waiver

Priority 

class 

registration

Disability 

resource 

handbook

Career or 

placement 

services 

targeted 

for 

students 

with 

disabilities

Disability 

benefits 

counseling

Counseling 

about 

vocational 

rehabilitation 

services

Moving 

classes 

to a more 

accessible 

location Other

All institutions .......................... 1.4 1.6 2.0 1.5 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.5 1.5 0.9 1.4 1.0 1.0

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .............................. 1.7 1.6 2.3 1.9 1.1 1.7 2.0 2.2 2.1 1.4 2.0 1.8 1.3

Private not-for-profit 2-year ....... 6.8 11.4 11.4 12.3 14.0 10.4 12.1 14.6 10.4 13.3 14.6 12.5 11.4

Private for-profit 2-year ............. 7.4 8.2 10.0 9.1 6.7 5.2 4.3 4.2 7.4 6.6 7.9 5.7 3.9

Public 4-year .............................. 1.7 1.8 1.8 2.0 0.4 2.3 2.3 2.3 1.3 0.9 1.6 1.8 1.4

Private not-for-profit 4-year ....... 3.4 2.6 3.6 3.1 2.1 2.4 2.3 2.4 1.9 0.9 2.8 2.8 2.1

Private for-profit 4-year ............. 7.3 7.9 7.8 6.8 6.4 3.9 5.5 6.2 4.8 2.6 5.3 5.1 6.3

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 .......................... 2.3 2.5 3.2 2.5 2.0 1.6 1.7 2.2 2.3 1.4 2.3 1.7 1.7

3,000 to 9,999 ............................ 1.6 1.4 2.3 1.1 0.3 1.9 1.8 2.1 1.6 1.1 1.8 1.7 1.3

10,000 or more ........................... 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 † 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.1

† Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009.
A-10 

Table 7a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions that require verification of student disabilities, and what those institutions 

accept as sufficient, stand-alone verification, by institutional characteristics: 2009 

Institutional characteristic

Require

verification

Accepted as sufficient, stand-alone verification

Comprehensive 

vocational 

rehabilitation 

agency evaluation 

Individualized 

Education Program 

(IEP) from a 

secondary school

504 Plan from a 

secondary school

 All institutions ...................................... 0.9 1.4 1.3 1.6

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .......................................... 0.6 0.8 2.3 2.3

Private not-for-profit 2-year ................... 8.6 10.5 14.0 14.3

Private for-profit 2-year ......................... 4.7 5.4 9.0 8.8

Public 4-year .......................................... 0.9 1.3 1.7 1.7

Private not-for-profit 4-year ................... 2.5 4.0 2.7 3.1

Private for-profit 4-year ......................... 0.0 4.8 6.7 6.1

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ...................................... 1.4 2.1 1.9 2.5

3,000 to 9,999 ........................................ 0.1 0.8 1.7 1.9

10,000 or more ....................................... † 0.1 0.3 0.4

† Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
A-11 

Table 8a. Standard errors for the percentage distribution of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting 

postsecondary institutions indicating the extent to which the person or office responsible 

for providing support services to students with disabilities worked, either formally or 

informally, with the state vocational rehabilitation agency regarding students with 

disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2009 

Institutional characteristic

Extent person or office responsible for students with disabilities worked with 

state vocational rehabilitation agency

Not at all Minor extent Moderate extent Major extent Don’t know

 All institutions ..................................... 1.5 1.5 1.1 0.9 1.1

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ......................................... 0.7 2.1 2.1 1.9 0.4

Private not-for-profit 2-year .................. 7.8 13.1 9.4 7.8 7.8

Private for-profit 2-year ........................ 4.9 8.3 6.4 2.9 5.4

Public 4-year ......................................... 1.5 1.9 1.6 1.6 0.3

Private not-for-profit 4-year .................. 3.1 2.1 1.2 0.8 2.5

Private for-profit 4-year ........................ 4.6 9.2 4.8 3.9 5.6

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ..................................... 2.4 2.3 1.7 1.1 1.7

3,000 to 9,999 ....................................... 1.0 1.9 1.6 1.8 0.4

10,000 or more ...................................... 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.1 † 

† Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
A-12 

Table 9a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions that distribute materials designed to encourage students with disabilities to 

identify themselves to the institution, and the percent that provide various kinds of 

education materials or activities designed to assist faculty and staff in working with 

students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2009

Institutional characteristic

Distribute 

materials 

designed to 

encourage 

students

with 

disabilities 

to identify 

themselves 

Education materials or activities designed to assist faculty and staff

One-on-one 

discussions 

with faculty/

staff who 

request 

information 

or assistance

Workshops 

and presentations to 

faculty 

groups

Faculty/

staff 

handbook

Information 

resources 

(e.g., books, 

videos) 

available for 

faculty/

staff use

Annual 

mailings or 

e-mails to 

faculty/

staff

Collection 

of resources 

available 

on your 

institution’s 

website Other

 All institutions .................... 1.5 0.9 1.6 1.9 1.2 1.1 1.3 1.2

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ........................ 1.4 0.7 1.8 1.7 1.9 1.9 2.1 1.3

Private not-for-profit 2-year . 13.2 9.2 13.2 13.2 12.6 12.7 10.3 7.8

Private for-profit 2-year ........ 6.5 4.7 9.4 7.2 5.2 4.2 5.5 1.9

Public 4-year ........................ 1.1 1.1 2.0 2.3 2.1 2.4 2.3 0.9

Private not-for-profit 4-year . 2.2 2.5 3.0 3.6 1.7 2.7 2.0 2.4

Private for-profit 4-year ........ 8.6 6.0 8.3 7.9 6.6 6.3 5.8 3.2

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ...................... 2.2 1.3 2.5 2.9 1.7 1.6 1.8 1.9

3,000 to 9,999 ........................ 1.0 0.2 1.3 1.6 2.0 2.0 1.9 0.9

10,000 or more ..................... 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.1

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
A-13 

Table 10a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary 

institutions that use a main website, and percentage distribution of the extent to which 

those institutions’ main websites follow established accessibility guidelines or 

recommendations for users with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2009

Institutional characteristic

Website 

used

Extent main website follows established accessibility guidelines

Not 

at all

Minor 

extent

Moderate 

extent

Major 

extent

Don’t 

know

All institutions ..................................... 1.2 1.6 1.3 1.0 1.2 1.5

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ......................................... 0.8 1.0 1.8 1.9 1.6 1.6

Private not-for-profit 2-year .................. 10.3 13.0 6.1 4.6 † 13.3

Private for-profit 2-year ........................ 6.2 8.5 5.5 † 3.9 10.5

Public 4-year ......................................... 1.4 1.1 1.4 1.7 1.8 1.4

Private not-for-profit 4-year .................. 2.3 2.5 2.5 1.4 2.0 2.4

Private for-profit 4-year ........................ 4.5 3.8 6.3 6.8 6.7 7.0

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ..................................... 1.8 2.4 2.0 1.3 1.9 2.3

3,000 to 9,999 ....................................... 0.3 0.9 1.0 1.8 1.4 1.7

10,000 or more ...................................... 0.0 † 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.1

† Not applicable.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009.
A-14

Table 11a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions indicating that their 

institution conducts various activities related to accessibility and provides various services and accommodations to the 

general public, by institutional characteristics: 2009

Institutional characteristic

Activities related to accessibility conducted by the institution

Services and accommodations 

provided to the general public

Integrate

accessibility 

features during 

major renovation 

and new 

construction 

projects

Offer students, 

faculty, and staff 

the opportunity to 

provide input on 

accessibility 

features during 

project planning 

stages

Conduct needs 

assessments 

pertaining to 

accessibility

Have 

procurement 

policies that 

promote the 

purchase of 

accessible 

products 

(e.g., technology)

Provide regular 

training 

opportunities to 

faculty about 

ways to make 

instruction more 

accessible to all 

students

Publicize the 

availability 

of adaptive 

equipment, 

technology, or 

services 

at institutionsponsored 

events open to the 

public

Offer printed 

materials in 

alternate formats

Provide outreach 

to community 

members 

with disabilities

 All institutions .................................. 1.1 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.8 1.0 1.4 1.0

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ...................................... 1.0 1.6 1.7 1.8 2.0 1.7 2.2 1.9

Private not-for-profit 2-year ............... 5.0 13.2 13.2 12.6 13.2 8.8 9.2 9.2

Private for-profit 2-year ..................... 5.8 7.7 7.3 8.3 6.4 3.7 4.1 4.1

Public 4-year ...................................... 1.0 1.9 1.7 1.9 2.1 1.9 2.0 1.7

Private not-for-profit 4-year ............... 2.1 3.6 2.6 2.5 3.1 1.8 2.2 1.5

Private for-profit 4-year ..................... 5.5 5.8 7.4 7.1 7.1 4.8 5.3 3.0

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 .................................. 1.7 3.0 2.8 2.4 2.7 1.4 2.1 1.4

3,000 to 9,999 .................................... 0.6 1.9 1.7 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.7

10,000 or more ................................... 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009.
A-15

Table 12a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions indicating that various 

barriers hinder the implementation of Universal Design features at their institution to a moderate or major extent, 

by institutional characteristics: 2009

Institutional characteristic

Limited staff 

resources to 

provide faculty 

and staff with training on 

accessibility issues

Costs associated 

with purchasing 

appropriate technology

Other institutional 

priorities

Lack of incentives 

for faculty to change 

their instructional 

practices

Costs associated with 

incorporating 

Universal Design 

features into major 

renovation and 

new construction 

projects

All institutions ...................................................................... 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.4 1.4

Institutional type 

Public 2-year .......................................................................... 1.9 1.8 2.1 1.9 1.5

Private not-for-profit 2-year ................................................... 13.0 12.6 12.4 12.6 12.5

Private for-profit 2-year ......................................................... 6.1 8.3 7.8 5.5 7.4

Public 4-year .......................................................................... 1.8 2.3 2.3 2.0 2.0

Private not-for-profit 4-year ................................................... 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.3

Private for-profit 4-year ......................................................... 8.8 7.0 9.3 7.1 5.4

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ...................................................................... 2.4 2.7 2.6 2.2 2.1

3,000 to 9,999 ........................................................................ 1.8 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.6

10,000 or more ....................................................................... 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2

See notes at end of table.
A-16

Table 12a. Standard errors for the percent of 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions indicating that various 

barriers hinder the implementation of Universal Design features at their institution to a moderate or major extent, 

by institutional characteristics: 2009—Continued

Institutional characteristic

Limited ability to 

adapt or retrofit 

existing facilities 

(e.g., historical 

considerations)

Limited 

availability or interest 

on the part of faculty to 

participate in training 

opportunities related to 

accessibility issues

Lack of information 

and resources on 

Universal Design

Lack of perceived 

need for services and 

accommodations

A focus on minimal 

legal requirements 

for accessibility and 

accommodations

Questions about the 

usefulness 

of Universal Design

 All institutions ....................................................... 1.5 1.6 1.4 1.6 1.5 1.3

Institutional type 

Public 2-year ........................................................... 2.0 1.7 2.0 1.6 1.7 1.7

Private not-for-profit 2-year .................................... 12.6 12.6 13.2 13.2 13.1 11.4

Private for-profit 2-year .......................................... 6.9 6.0 5.2 7.0 4.4 4.8

Public 4-year ........................................................... 2.1 2.0 1.9 2.0 1.9 2.0

Private not-for-profit 4-year .................................... 3.0 3.9 3.1 4.0 2.7 2.5

Private for-profit 4-year .......................................... 7.7 5.7 8.1 6.7 6.6 5.3

Size of institution

Less than 3,000 ....................................................... 2.2 2.6 2.0 2.4 2.2 2.0

3,000 to 9,999 ......................................................... 1.7 1.5 2.3 1.6 1.7 1.5

10,000 or more ........................................................ 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education 

Institutions,” 2009.
B-1 

Appendix B

Technical Notes
This page intentionally left blank.
B-3 

Technical Notes

Postsecondary Education Quick Information System

The Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS) was established in 1991 by the 

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Education (ED). PEQIS is 

designed to conduct brief surveys of postsecondary institutions or state higher education agencies on 

postsecondary education topics of national importance. Surveys are generally limited to three pages of 

questions, with a response burden of 30 to 45 minutes per respondent. Most PEQIS institutional surveys 

use a previously recruited, nationally representative panel of institutions. The PEQIS panel was originally 

selected and recruited in 1991–92. In 1996, 2002, and 2006, the PEQIS panel was reselected to reflect 

changes in the postsecondary education universe that had occurred since the original panel was selected. 

A modified Keyfitz approach was used to maximize overlap between the panels for each reselection. 

This approach resulted in about 80 percent of the institutions overlapping for each reselection of the panel 

(Brick, Morganstein, and Wolters 1987). 

The 2009 PEQIS survey on students with disabilities used the sampling frame for the 2006 PEQIS panel, 

which was constructed from the 2005 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 

Institutional Characteristics file. Institutions eligible for the 2006 PEQIS frame included 2-year and 4-

year (including graduate-level) institutions that are both Title IV eligible and degree granting, and are 

located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia: a total of 4,265 institutions. The 2006 PEQIS 

sampling frame was stratified by instructional level (4-year, 2-year), control (public, private not-forprofit, private for-profit), highest level of offering (doctor’s/first-professional, master’s, bachelor’s, less 

than bachelor’s), and total enrollment. Within each of the strata, institutions were sorted by region 

(Northeast, Southeast, Central, West) and by whether the institution had a relatively high combined 

enrollment of Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaska Native students. The 

sample of 1,627 institutions was allocated to the strata in proportion to the aggregate square root of total 

enrollment. Institutions within a stratum were sampled with equal probabilities of selection. Panel 

recruitment was conducted with the 339 institutions that were selected for the 2006 panel that were not 

part of the 2002 panel.

Each institution in the PEQIS panel was asked to identify a campus representative to serve as survey 

coordinator. The campus representative facilitates data collection by identifying the appropriate 

respondent for each survey and forwarding the questionnaire to that person. Data are weighted to produce 

national estimates, and the sample size allows for limited breakouts by classification variables. However, 

as the number of categories within a classification variable increases, the sample size within categories 

decreases, which results in larger sampling errors for the breakouts by classification variables. 

Sample Selection and Response Rates

The sample for the survey on students with disabilities consisted of the 1,558 institutions in the PEQIS 

panel in the fall of 2009. Questionnaires (see appendix C) were mailed to the PEQIS coordinators at the 

institutions in November 2009. Coordinators were told that the survey was designed to be completed by 

the person at the institution most knowledgeable about the institution’s students with disabilities and the 

services provided to these students by the institution. Respondents had the option of completing the 

survey online. Telephone follow-up of nonrespondents was initiated in January 2010; data collection and 

clarification were completed in June 2010. During data collection, six institutions were determined to be 
B-4 

ineligible for the PEQIS survey on students with disabilities— four U.S. service academies to which 

students with disabilities are not admitted due to the requirement to serve as commissioned officers after 

graduation, and two institutions whose data were combined with other campuses of the same institution 

for reporting purposes by the institution. For the eligible institutions, an unweighted response rate of 91 

percent was obtained (1,417 responding institutions divided by the 1,552 eligible institutions in the 

sample for this survey). The weighted response rate for this survey was 89 percent. Of the institutions 

that completed the survey, 68 percent completed it online, 25 percent completed it by mail, 7 percent 

completed it by fax, and less than 1 percent completed it by telephone or e-mail. The weighted number of 

eligible institutions in the survey represents the estimated universe of eligible postsecondary institutions 

in the 50 states and the District of Columbia (see table B-1). 

Table B-1. Number and percent of degree-granting postsecondary institutions in study, and 

estimated number and percent in the nation, for the total sample and for institutions 

that enrolled students with disabilities, by institutional characteristics: 2008–09 

Institutional characteristic

Total sample

Enrolled students with disabilities during the 

12-month 2008–09 academic year

Responding 

institutions 

(unweighted)

National estimate 

(weighted)

Responding 

institutions 

(unweighted)

National estimate 

(weighted)

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

 All institutions ........................................ 1,420 100 4,170 100 1,370 100 3,680 100

Institutional type

 Public 2-year ............................................. 500 35 1,040 25 500 37 1,040 28

 Private not-for-profit 2-year ...................... 20 1 110 3 10 1 90 2 

 Private for-profit 2-year ............................ 50 3 480 12 30 2 310 8 

 Public 4-year ............................................. 400 29 630 15 400 29 620 17

 Private not-for-profit 4-year ...................... 410 29 1,510 36 390 29 1,330 36

 Private for-profit 4-year ............................ 40 3 390 9 30 2 290 8 

Size of institution

 Less than 3,000 ......................................... 480 34 2,720 65 430 32 2,230 61

 3,000 to 9,999 ........................................... 480 34 960 23 480 35 960 26

 10,000 or more .......................................... 460 33 490 12 460 34 490 13

NOTE: Information about students with disabilities represents only those students who identified themselves to their institution as having a 

disability, since these are the only students about whom the institutions could report. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009. 

Imputation for Item Nonresponse

Data were imputed for all questionnaire items with missing data. The response rates for those 67 items

are listed in table B-2. The missing items included both numerical data such as counts of total numbers of 

students with disabilities enrolled at institutions, as well as categorical data such as whether institutions 

provided various services and accommodations to students with disabilities. Fifty-four of the missing 

data items were imputed using a “hot-deck” approach to obtain a “donor” institution from which the 

imputed values were derived. Under the hot-deck approach, a donor institution that matched selected 

characteristics of the institution with missing data (the recipient institution) was identified. The matching 

characteristics included PEQIS stratum (defined by sector, highest level of offering, and enrollment size) 

and whether the institution enrolled any students with disabilities. In addition, relevant questionnaire 

items were used to form appropriate imputation groupings. Once a donor was found, it was used to derive 

the imputed values for the institution with missing data. For categorical items, the imputed value was 

simply the corresponding value from the donor institution. For the total number of students with 

disabilities (a numerical item), the imputed value was calculated by taking the donor’s response for that 
B-5 

item and dividing that number by the total number of students enrolled in the donor institution. This ratio 

was then multiplied by the total number of students enrolled in the recipient institution to provide an 

imputed value. Missing items for a given institution were imputed from the same donor whenever 

possible. 

Imputation of missing counts of students with certain types of disability (Q4a-Q4l) did not use a hot-deck 

approach because of the relationships between questions 2 and 4 and the items within question 4. 

Instead, the total number of students with a disability (Q2) was compared to the total number of students 

assigned to a disability type, taking into account duplicated and unduplicated counts, and the difference 

was apportioned to the missing items, based on the average distribution across the items within the 

stratum. This distribution was calculated only for institutions with no missing Q4 items. In addition, 

where appropriate, the counts in the “Other” category were redistributed to the missing items. 

Information contained in the text field for the “Other” category often provided information as to how this 

redistribution should be done. 

Table B-2. Percent of cases with imputed data in the respondent sample, and percent of cases 

with imputed data the sample represents, by questionnaire items: 2008–09 

Questionnaire 

item Description

Responding 

institutions 

(unweighted)

National 

estimate 

(weighted)

Q2 Total number of students with disabilities ........................................................................... 0.21 0.17

Q3 Type of count: total number of students with disabilities .................................................... 0.07 0.03

Q4A How many students had: difficulty hearing ......................................................................... 2.19 2.46

Q4B How many students had: difficulty seeing ........................................................................... 2.33 2.51

Q4C How many students had: difficulty speaking ....................................................................... 3.46 2.96

Q4D How many students had: mobility limitation ....................................................................... 3.03 2.88

Q4E How many students had: Traumatic Brain Injury ................................................................ 3.39 3.34

Q4F How many students had: specific learning disabilities ........................................................ 3.53 3.74

Q4G How many students had: ADD/ADHD ................................................................................ 6.28 4.83

Q4H How many students had: Autism Spectrum Disorders ......................................................... 6.35 4.30

Q4I How many students had: intellectual disability ................................................................... 3.53 3.21

Q4J How many students had: health impairment ........................................................................ 5.58 4.31

Q4K How many students had: psychological condition ............................................................... 3.39 3.64

Q4L How many students had: other functional limitation ........................................................... 7.13 5.11

Q5 Type of count: specific disability categories ........................................................................ 1.13 0.58

Q6 Type of students represented in total count .......................................................................... 0.07 0.04

Q7B Institution provided: real-time captioning ............................................................................ 0.42 0.23

Q7C Institution provided: oral interpreters/transliterators ............................................................ 0.42 0.31

Q7D Institution provided: readers ................................................................................................ 0.07 0.04

Q7E Institution provided: classroom notetakers/scribes .............................................................. 0.14 0.21

Q7F Institution provided: faculty-provided written notes/assignments ........................................ 0.28 0.28

Q7G Institution provided: adaptive equipment/technology .......................................................... 0.07 0.04

Q7H Institution provided: physical adaptations to classrooms ..................................................... 0.28 0.10

Q7I Institution provided: paratransit ........................................................................................... 0.28 0.14

Q7J Institution provided: personal attendants ............................................................................. 0.07 0.02

Q7K Institution provided: independent living skills training ........................................................ 0.07 0.02

Q7L Institution provided: audio textbooks/digitally recorded texts ............................................. 0.14 0.17

Q7M Institution provided: large print/Braille materials ................................................................ 0.21 0.29

Q7N Institution provided: help with learning strategies/study skills ............................................ 0.28 0.16

See notes at end of table.
B-6 

Table B-2. Percent of cases with imputed data in the respondent sample, and percent of cases 

with imputed data the sample represents, by questionnaire items: 2008–09—

Continued

Questionnaire 

item Description

Responding 

institutions 

(unweighted)

National 

estimate 

(weighted)

Q7O Institution provided: tutors .............................................................................................. 0.49 0.40

Q7S Institution provided: priority class registration ............................................................... 0.14 0.15

Q7T Institution provided: disability resource handbook ......................................................... 0.21 0.40

Q7U Institution provided: targeted career/placement services ................................................. 0.28 0.49

Q7V Institution provided: disability benefits counseling ......................................................... 0.49 0.26

Q7W Institution provided: counseling about voc rehab ............................................................ 0.28 0.16

Q7X Institution provided: moving classes to accessible location ............................................ 0.21 0.14

Q8A Institution accepts: IEP ................................................................................................... 0.21 0.38

Q8B Institution accepts: 504 Plan ........................................................................................... 0.21 0.38

Q8C Institution accepts: voc rehab evaluation ........................................................................ 0.42 0.20

Q10 Materials distributed to encourage students with disabilities to self-identify .................. 0.21 0.26

Q11A Institution provides: faculty or staff handbook ................................................................ 0.21 0.62

Q11B Institution provides: annual mailings/e-mails to faculty/staff .......................................... 0.21 0.32

Q11C Institution provides: workshops/presentations to faculty ................................................ 0.07 0.21

Q11D Institution provides: one-on-one discussions with faculty/staff ...................................... 0.07 0.21

Q11E Institution provides: information resources to faculty/staff ............................................. 0.07 0.21

Q11F Institution provides: faculty/staff with web resources ..................................................... 0.14 0.29

Q11G Institution provides: faculty/staff other materials/activities ............................................ 0.07 0.21

Q14 Extent institution’s main website follows accessibility guidelines .................................. 0.07 0.07

Q15A Accessibility activities: needs assessments ..................................................................... 0.71 0.77

Q15B Accessibility activities: opportunity for student/faculty/staff input ................................. 0.71 0.78

Q15C Accessibility activities: procurement policies of accessible products ............................. 1.27 0.92

Q15D Accessibility activities: integrates accessibility features during renovation/

construction .............................................................................................................. 0.35 0.44

Q15E Accessibility activities: regular training opportunities for faculty ................................... 0.35 0.35

Q16A Provides general public: printed materials in alternate formats ....................................... 0.21 0.15

Q16B Provides general public: publicizes availability of adaptive equipment/technology/ 

 services ..................................................................................................................... 0.14 0.05

Q16C Provides general public: outreach to community members with disabilities ................... 0.21 0.37

Q17A Barriers to Universal Design: lack of perceived need for services .................................. 0.35 0.20

Q17B Barriers to Universal Design: focus on minimal legal requirements................................ 0.42 0.57

Q17C Barriers to Universal Design: other institutional priorities .............................................. 0.49 0.32

Q17D Barriers to Universal Design: lack of information/resources ........................................... 0.49 0.46

Q17E Barriers to Universal Design: questions about usefulness ............................................... 0.42 0.27

Q17F Barriers to Universal Design: lack of incentives for faculty to change instruction .......... 0.42 0.29

Q17G Barriers to Universal Design: limited staff resources to provide faculty/staff training .... 0.42 0.29

Q17H Barriers to Universal Design: limited faculty availability or interest to participate in 

training ...................................................................................................................... 0.35 0.25

Q17I Barriers to Universal Design: costs of Universal Design in renovation and 

construction .................................................................................................................... 0.28 0.15

Q17J Barriers to Universal Design: costs of appropriate technology ....................................... 0.35 0.18

Q17K Barriers to Universal Design: limited ability to adapt facilities ....................................... 0.35 0.25

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), 

“Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions,” 2009. 
B-7 

Data Reliability

While the “Students With Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions” survey was designed to 

account for sampling error and to minimize nonsampling error, estimates produced from the data 

collected are subject to both types of error. Sampling error occurs because the data are collected from a 

sample rather than a census of the population, and nonsampling errors are errors made during the 

collection and processing of the data. 

Sampling Errors

The responses were weighted to produce national estimates (see table B-1). The weights were designed 

to adjust for the variable probabilities of selection and differential nonresponse. The findings in this 

report are estimates based on the sample selected and, consequently, are subject to sampling variability. 

General sampling theory was used to estimate the sampling variability of the estimates and to test for 

statistically significant differences between estimates (Levy and Lemeshow 1991). 

The standard error is a measure of the variability of an estimate due to sampling. It indicates the 

variability of a sample estimate that would be obtained from all possible samples of a given design and 

size. Standard errors are used as a measure of the precision expected from a particular sample. If all 

possible samples were surveyed under similar conditions, intervals of 1.96 standard errors below to 1.96 

standard errors above a particular statistic would include the true population parameter being estimated in 

about 95 percent of the samples. This is a 95 percent confidence interval. For example, the estimated 

percentage of degree-granting postsecondary institutions that enrolled students with disabilities is 88 

percent and the standard error is 1.4 percent (see tables 1 and 1a). The 95 percent confidence interval for 

the statistic extends from [88 – (1.4 x 1.96)] to [88 + (1.4 x 1.96)], or from 85.3 to 90.7 percent. The 1.96 

is the critical value for a statistical test at the 0.05 significance level (where 0.05 indicates the 5 percent of 

all possible samples that would be outside the range of the confidence interval).

Because the data from the PEQIS survey on students with disabilities were collected using a complex 

sampling design, the variances of the estimates from this survey (e.g., estimates of proportions) are 

typically different from what would be expected from data collected with a simple random sample. Not 

taking the complex sample design into account can lead to an underestimation of the standard errors 

associated with such estimates (Kish 1965). To generate accurate standard errors for the estimates in this 

report, standard errors were computed using a technique known as jackknife replication (Levy and 

Lemeshow 1991). As with any replication method, jackknife replication involves constructing a number 

of subsamples (replicates) from the full sample and computing the statistic of interest for each replicate. 

The mean square error of the replicate estimates around the full sample estimate provides an estimate of 

the variance of the statistic. To construct the replications, 51 stratified subsamples of the full sample were 

created and then dropped 1 at a time to define 51 jackknife replicates. A computer program (WesVar) 

was used to calculate the estimates of standard errors.10 

No adjustments were made to the standard errors to account for the variability introduced by the 

imputation process. Imputed values were treated in the same way as observed values. The standard errors 

will therefore be underestimated (Levy and Lemeshow 1991). However, due to the very small number of 

missing values that required imputation (see table B-2), and the hot-deck imputation method which used 

 

10The WesVar program and documentation is available for download at

http://www.westat.com/Westat/expertise/information_systems/WesVar/index.cfm.
B-8 

variables correlated to the imputed variables to create imputation classes from which a donor was chosen, 

this bias is expected to be small for this study. 

Specific statements of comparisons made in this report have been tested for statistical significance at the 

.05 level using Student’s t-statistics to ensure that the differences are larger than those that might be 

expected due to sampling variation. Adjustments for multiple comparisons were not included. Student’s 

t values were computed to test the difference between estimates with the following formula: 

2

2

2

1

21

sese

EE

t

+

− =

where E1 and E2 are the estimates to be compared and se1 and se2 are their corresponding standard errors. 

Many of the variables examined are related to one another, and complex interactions and relationships 

have not been explored. 

Nonsampling Errors 

Nonsampling error is the term used to describe variations in the estimates that may be caused by 

population coverage limitations and data collection, processing, and reporting procedures. The sources of 

nonsampling errors are typically problems like unit and item nonresponse, differences in respondents’ 

interpretations of the meaning of questions, response differences related to the particular time the survey 

was conducted, and mistakes made during data preparation. It is difficult to identify and estimate either 

the amount of nonsampling error or the bias caused by this error. To minimize the potential for 

nonsampling error, this study used a variety of procedures, including a pretest of the questionnaire with 

individuals at postsecondary institutions deemed by their institutions to be the most knowledgeable about 

students with disabilities at their institutions, and the services provided to these students by the institution. 

The pretest provided the opportunity to check for consistency of interpretation of questions and 

definitions and to eliminate ambiguous items. The questionnaire and instructions were also extensively 

reviewed by NCES and the data requester at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. 

In addition, extensive editing of the questionnaire responses was conducted to check the data for accuracy 

and consistency. Cases with missing or inconsistent items were recontacted by telephone to resolve 

problems. Data entered for all surveys received by mail, fax, or telephone were verified to ensure 

accuracy. 

Definitions of Analysis Variables

• Institutional type: public 2-year, private not-for-profit 2-year, private for-profit 2-year, public 4-

year, private not-for-profit 4-year, private for-profit 4-year. Type was created from a combination of 

level (2-year, 4-year) and control (public, private not-for-profit, private for-profit). Two-year 

institutions are defined as institutions at which the highest level of offering is at least 2 but less than 4 

years (below the baccalaureate degree); 4-year institutions are those at which the highest level of 

offering is 4 or more years (baccalaureate or higher degree).11 

 

11Definitions for level are from the data file documentation for the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Institutional 

Characteristics file, U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 
B-9 

• Institution size: less than 3,000 students (small); 3,000 to 9,999 students (medium); and 10,000 or 

more students (large). The institution size categories were specified for PEQIS starting with the first 

PEQIS report in 1994 (Lewis and Farris 1994). They reflect the enrollment categories used to 

determine an approximately optimum allocation of the sample and provide roughly equal numbers of 

sample institutions for each of the three broad size categories for robust statistical reporting.

Definitions of Terms Used in This Report

Definitions for the following terms were not included on the questionnaire. 

• Individualized Education Program (IEP): An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written 

plan that is designed for any student who receives special education and related services. IEPs are 

required for every special education student under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education 

Act (IDEA). The IEP describes the goals that are set for the student over the course of the school year 

and spells out any special supports needed to help achieve those goals. 

• 504 Plan: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal law that protects the civil rights 

of persons with disabilities. The Act prohibits any organization that receives federal funds from 

discriminating against otherwise qualified individuals because of a disability. Each student who 

meets the eligibility guidelines for accommodations under Section 504 will have a Section 504 Plan 

developed for him/her to use in school. The plan specifies the nature of the impairment, the major life 

activity affected by the impairment, accommodations necessary to meet the student’s needs, and the 

person(s) responsible for implementing the accommodations. 

Contact Information

For more information about the Postsecondary Education Quick Information System or the Survey on 

Students with Disabilities at Postsecondary Education Institutions, contact Jared Coopersmith, Early 

Childhood, International, and Crosscutting Studies Division, National Center for Education Statistics, 

Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 

20006; e-mail: jared.coopersmith@ed.gov; telephone (202) 219-7106. 
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C-1 

Appendix C

Questionnaire
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Information Copy – Please Do Not Complete

C-3 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FORM APPROVED

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS O.M.B. No.: 1850-0733

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20208–5651 EXPIRATION DATE: 06/2012

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AT

POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION QUICK INFORMATION SYSTEM

This survey is authorized by law (P.L. 103-382). While participation in this survey is voluntary, your cooperation is critical 

to make the results of this survey comprehensive, accurate, and timely. Your answers may be used only for statistical 

purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose unless otherwise compelled by 

law. (Public Law 107–279, Education Sciences Reform Act, Section 183.)

Definition and Instructions

Disability: a physical or mental condition that causes functional limitations that substantially limit one or more major life 

activities, including mobility, communication (seeing, hearing, speaking), and learning.

The survey is designed to be completed by the person or office at your institution most knowledgeable about students with 

disabilities, and the services provided to these students by your institution. In most cases, this will be the disability support 

services office or coordinator. Please feel free to collaborate with colleagues at your institution who may be able to assist 

you in completing the survey.

IF ABOVE INSTITUTION INFORMATION IS INCORRECT, PLEASE UPDATE DIRECTLY ON LABEL.

Name of Person Completing This Form: _________________________________________________________________ 

Title/Position: ______________________________________________________________________________________ 

Telephone Number: ___________________________________ Email: ______________________________________ 

Best days and times to reach you (in case of questions): ___________________________________________________ 

THANK YOU. PLEASE KEEP A COPY OF THE SURVEY FOR YOUR RECORDS.

PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO: IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, CONTACT:

Mail: Kimberley Raue (8096.18.03) Kimberley Raue at Westat

 Westat 800-937-8281, Ext. 3865 or 301-294-3865

 1600 Research Boulevard Email:disabilitysurvey@westat.com

 Rockville, Maryland 20850-3129 

Fax: 800-254–0984

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB 

control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0733. The time required to complete this information collection is 

estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and 

complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving 

this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202-4651. If you have any comments or concerns regarding the status of 

your individual submission of this form, write directly to: National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006.

PEQIS Form No.17, 11/09
Information Copy – Please Do Not Complete

C-4 

Before you answer the questions, please carefully read the definition and instructions on the cover.

1. In 2008–09 (12-month academic year), were there any students enrolled at your institution who identified 

themselves to your institution as having a disability?

Yes.................. 1 (Continue with question 2.) No.................... 2 (Skip to question 8.)

2. What is the total number of students enrolled at your institution in 2008–09 (12-month academic year) who 

identified themselves to your institution as having a disability? _______________

3. Which one of the following best describes the total number of students with disabilities that you provided in

question 2? (Circle only one number.)

Each student with a disability is counted only once in the total, regardless of the number of disabilities he 

or she has (i.e., an unduplicated count) ......................................................................................................... 1 

Students with multiple disabilities are counted multiple times in the total (i.e., a duplicated count) .................... 2 

Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________________________ 3 

4. Please provide the number of students enrolled at your institution in 2008–09 (12-month academic year) who 

identified themselves to your institution as having a functional limitation, disability, or condition causing functional 

limitation. Please report the number of students using the categories listed below. Enter “0” if there were no 

students in a particular limitation, disability, or condition category.

a. Difficulty hearing (i.e., deaf or hard of hearing) .............................................................................. _______ 

b. Difficulty seeing (i.e., blind or visual impairment that cannot be corrected by wearing glasses 

or contact lenses............................................................................................................................. _______ 

c. Difficulty speaking or language impairment.................................................................................... _______ 

d. Mobility limitation/orthopedic impairment........................................................................................ _______ 

e. Traumatic Brain Injury..................................................................................................................... _______ 

f. Specific learning disabilities............................................................................................................ _______ 

g. Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD or ADHD) .................. _______ 

h. Autism Spectrum Disorders, including Asperger Syndrome........................................................... _______ 

i. Cognitive difficulties, intellectual disability, or mental retardation................................................... _______ 

j. Health impairment/condition, including chronic conditions ............................................................. _______ 

k. Depression, anxiety, or other mental illness/psychological or psychiatric condition, including 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)......................................................................................... _______ 

l. Other (specify): _______________________________________________________________ _______ 

5. Which one of the following best describes the counts of the number of students in the specific categories that you 

provided in question 4? (Circle only one number.)

Each student with a disability is counted only once in the specific categories, by their only or primary 

disability (i.e., unduplicated counts of students)............................................................................................. 1 

Students with multiple disabilities are counted multiple times in the specific categories (i.e., duplicated 

counts of students across disability categories) ............................................................................................. 2 

Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________________________ 3 

6. Which one of the following best describes which students with disabilities are represented in the count that you 

provided in question 2? (Circle the one option that best applies.)

Only students to whom services/accommodations were provided, regardless of whether disabilities 

were verified.................................................................................................................................................... 1 

Students who provided verification of their disabilities, regardless of whether services/ accommodations 

were provided................................................................................................................................................ 2 

Students who identified themselves to your office as having a disability, regardless of whether disabilities 

were verified or services/accommodations were provided ........................................................................... 3 

Students who have been reported to your office as having identified themselves as having a disability, 

regardless of whether your office had any contact with them. This includes information provided to 

your office about students with disabilities by other offices (e.g., the admissions or registrar’s office), 

even if your office had no contact with them................................................................................................. 4 

Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________________________ 5 
Information Copy – Please Do Not Complete

C-5 

7. Listed below are support services or accommodations designed for students with disabilities. Please indicate 

whether your institution provided that service or accommodation to a student with disabilities in 2008–09 (12-month 

academic year). Include only services and accommodations designed for students with disabilities. Do not include 

services or accommodations available to all students, regardless of disability status. (Circle one on each line.) 

 Yes No

a. Sign language interpreters/transliterators....................................................................................... 1 2 

b. Real-time captioning ....................................................................................................................... 1 2 

c. Oral interpreters/transliterators ....................................................................................................... 1 2 

d. Readers .......................................................................................................................................... 1 2 

e. Classroom notetakers or scribes .................................................................................................... 1 2 

f. Faculty-provided written course notes or assignments .................................................................. 1 2 

g. Adaptive equipment and technology (e.g., assistive listening devices, talking computers) .......... 1 2 

h. Physical adaptations to classrooms................................................................................................ 1 2 

i. Paratransit for on-campus mobility ................................................................................................. 1 2 

j. Personal attendants ........................................................................................................................ 1 2 

k. Independent living skills training ..................................................................................................... 1 2 

l. Audio textbooks/digitally recorded texts ......................................................................................... 1 2 

m. Large print or Braille materials........................................................................................................ 1 2 

n. Help with learning strategies or study skills .................................................................................... 1 2 

o. Tutors to assist with ongoing coursework....................................................................................... 1 2 

p. Alternative exam formats (e.g., large print, Braille, audio formats) ................................................ 1 2 

q. Additional exam time....................................................................................................................... 1 2 

r. Course substitution or waiver ......................................................................................................... 1 2 

s. Priority class registration................................................................................................................. 1 2 

t. Disability resource handbook.......................................................................................................... 1 2 

u. Career or placement services targeted for students with disabilities ............................................. 1 2 

v. Disability benefits counseling (e.g., SSI, SSDI, Medicare, Medicaid) ............................................ 1 2 

w. Counseling about vocational rehabilitation services....................................................................... 1 2 

x. Moving classes to a more accessible location................................................................................ 1 2 

y. Other (specify): _______________________________________________________________ 1 2 

8. Does your institution accept the following types of documentation as sufficient, stand-alone verification of student 

disabilities? (Circle one on each line.)

If your institution does not require verification of student disabilities, check here and go to question 9. 

 Yes No

a. IEP from a secondary school ......................................................................................................... 1 2 

b. 504 Plan from a secondary school................................................................................................. 1 2 

c. Vocational rehabilitation agency evaluation (if comprehensive).................................................... 1 2 

9. To what extent does the person or office responsible for providing support services to students with disabilities 

work, either formally or informally, with the state vocational rehabilitation agency regarding students with 

disabilities? (Circle one.)

Not at all....... 1 Minor extent....... 2 Moderate extent......... 3 Major extent ...... 4 Don’t know ...... 5 

10. Does your institution distribute any materials designed to encourage students with disabilities to identify themselves 

to the institution?

Yes ............... 1 No ................ 2

11. Which of the following kinds of education materials or activities, if any, does your institution provide for faculty and 

staff designed to assist them in working with students with disabilities? (Circle one on each line.) 

 Yes No

a. Faculty/staff handbook.................................................................................................................... 1 2 

b. Annual mailings or emails to faculty/staff ....................................................................................... 1 2 

c. Workshops and presentations to faculty groups ............................................................................ 1 2 

d. One-on-one discussions with faculty/staff who request information or assistance ........................ 1 2 

e. Information resources (e.g., books, videos) available for faculty/staff use..................................... 1 2 

f. Collection of resources available on your institution’s website....................................................... 1 2 

g. Other (specify): _______________________________________________________________ 1 2 
Information Copy – Please Do Not Complete

C-6 

12. During the current academic year (2009–10), does your institution have any programs designed specifically for 

postsecondary students with cognitive difficulties, intellectual disabilities, or mental retardation?

Yes.................. 1 (Continue with question 13.) No.................... 2 (Skip to question 14.)

13. As of October 1, 2009, how many students were enrolled in your institution’s programs designed specifically for 

postsecondary students with cognitive difficulties, intellectual disabilities, or mental retardation? ______________

14. To what extent does your institution’s main website follow established accessibility guidelines or recommendations 

for users with disabilities (e.g., guidelines/recommendations from the World Wide Web Consortium)? (Circle one.) 

If no website is used, check here and go to question 15.

Not at all....... 1 Minor extent....... 2 Moderate extent......... 3 Major extent ...... 4 Don’t know ...... 5 

15. Does your institution conduct any of the following activities related to accessibility? (Circle one on each line.) 

Yes No

a. Conduct needs assessments pertaining to accessibility................................................................ 1 2 

b. Offer students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to provide input on accessibility features 

during project planning stages ....................................................................................................... 1 2 

c. Have procurement policies that promote the purchase of accessible products (e.g., technology) 1 2 

d. Integrate accessibility features during major renovation and new construction projects............... 1 2 

e. Provide regular training opportunities to faculty about ways to make instruction more 

accessible to all students ............................................................................................................... 1 2 

16. Does your institution provide the following services and accommodations to the general public? (Circle one on 

each line.)

 Yes No

a. Offer printed materials in alternate formats.................................................................................... 1 2 

b. Publicize the availability of adaptive equipment, technology, or services (e.g., assistive listening 

devices, sign language interpreters) at institution-sponsored events open to the public .............. 1 2 

c. Provide outreach to community members with disabilities ............................................................ 1 2 

Use this definition in your response to question 17. Universal Design is an approach to the design of all 

products and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, 

ability, or situation. Other terms for Universal Design include Design For All, Inclusive Design, and Barrier-Free 

Design. Universal Design can be distinguished from meeting accessibility standards in the way that the 

accessible features have been integrated into the overall design (from Universal Design Education Online project).

17. To what extent are the following barriers to implementing Universal Design features at your institution? (Circle one 

on each line.) 

Not 

at all

Minor 

extent

Moderate 

extent

Major 

extent

Don’t 

know

a. Lack of perceived need for services and accommodations.......... 1 2 3 4 5

b. A focus on minimal legal requirements for accessibility and 

accommodations........................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 

c. Other institutional priorities ........................................................... 1 2 3 4 5

d. Lack of information and resources on Universal Design.............. 1 2 3 4 5

e. Questions about the usefulness of Universal Design................... 1 2 3 4 5

f. Lack of incentives for faculty to change their instructional 

practices ....................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 

g. Limited staff resources to provide faculty and staff with training 

on accessibility issues .................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 

h. Limited availability or interest on the part of faculty to participate 

in training opportunities related to accessibility issues................. 1 2 3 4 5 

i. Costs associated with incorporating Universal Design features 

into major renovation and new construction projects ................... 1 2 3 4 5 

j. Costs associated with purchasing appropriate technology .......... 1 2 3 4 5

k. Limited ability to adapt or retrofit existing facilities 

(e.g., historical considerations)..................................................... 1 2 3 4 5