There is no consistent definition of ‘disability’ that is used by schools across Australia, which makes it difficult to get accurate information on numbers of students with disability, educational outcomes and improvements over time.457
Available statistics from 2003 indicate that 29.6 percent of persons with a reported disability completed Year 12458 or equivalent compared to 49.3 percent of persons with no reported disability.459 Further, only 24 percent of persons aged 15-64 years with a ‘profound or severe’ core-activity limitation completed Year 12.460
In 2003, only 12.7 percent of persons aged 15-64 years with a reported disability attained a Bachelor degree or above compared to 19.7 percent of persons with no reported disability.461 And only 14 percent of persons with a ‘profound or severe’ core-activity limitation had completed a diploma or post-secondary education as compared to 28 percent of persons without disability.462