This report presents the December 1, 1996 special education data collected annually by the State of Maryland as part of the its Special Services Information System. Information is compiled on special education students ages 3-21 in all 24 local education agencies and state operated programs. Definitions of key terms used to classify student placements precede the data tables. The total number of students with disabilities served in Maryland is reported to be 104,630. Tables include information by agency on the number of children with disabilities served, broken down by the following factors: disability, age, grade, intensity (the amount of time a student is receiving specially designed instruction), ethnicity, gender, and placement in the least restrictive environment. Pie charts illustrate the percentage of special education students by disability and the placement of special education students. A graph indicates the percentage of special education students by grade. (CR)