Diverse aspects are considered: differences in school attendance and qualifications between disabled and non disabled persons, passes in end of year exams, regional distribution of support staff by differing contract types and educational subjects, transport of disabled pupils and elimination of architectural barriers in all state schools.

The section related to the University informations  is in progress.

Data sources:

• Survey "Health Conditions and Recourse to Health Services" (ISTAT, 1999-2000) for education levels;
  
• the Ministry of Public Education Information system (SIMPI) (school years 1999-2000) for all other data.
  

Education and scholastic integration in figures...

Pupils for school year 1999-2000

There were 133,029 handicapped pupils (1.5% of all pupils):

• of which 130,146 (97.8%of disabled pupils and 1.6% of all pupils that attend mainstream schools) attended mainstream schools;

Trends

• The ever growing integration of disabled students is highlighted by the increase from 1.2% for 1989/90 to 1.6% for 1999/00 of disabled pupils that attended schools;
• There was a considerable increase in disabled pupils in 1999/2000 (7.050 on 4.440 related to the last year) which was a consequence of the increase of the minimum leaving age to 15 years.

Schools for 1999/2000 school year

• Total number of schools was 58,784;
• Special schools form 0.03% of all Italian schools;
• "Special Classes" in normal schools formed 0.1% of all schools.

Scholastic success

• 94.2% of disabled pupils in primary schools passed the end of year exams compared with 98.9% of all pupils;
• 84.1% passed 1st year higher level middle school exams compared with 94.8% of all pupils. The same tendency is therefore seen in both disabled pupils and the whole school population.

Impact of the increase in minimum leaving age

• Between 1998/99 and 1999/2000 there was an increase of 50% in disabled pupils attending higher level middle schools;
• In lower level middle schools, there was a decrease in the school population of 1%, compared with a reduction of only 0.5% of disabled pupils.

Support teachers for 1999/2000 school year

• There were 44,378 support teachers (5.5% of all school teachers);
• There was an average of 1 support teacher for every three disabled pupils.

Elimination of architectural barriers

• 23.7% of state schools had lifts or stair lifts suitable for wheelchair users;
• 15% of state schools had a transport service for disabled pupils.