Investigation of a specific disability.

1. Investigation of a specific disability. Teo Lisa Bernice Lee Heather Yew Elizabeth Chua Isabel Yeo

2. Introduction to Disability in Singapore Speech and language Autism spectrum disorder Behavioural problems Cerebral palsy/motor delay Attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder Environment-related delay Asperger’s syndrome Intellectual disability Syndromic disorders Hearing impairment approximately 7,000 preschool children that struggle with developmental issues 13,000 school-going children with special needs 77,200 people above the age of 18 with disabilities.

3. What is Autism? biologically based disorder which usually develops in the first thirty months of life Autism is a behavioural disability which affects threemain areas – a child’s social interaction communication patterns of behaviour • find it hard to understand unwritten rules • have limited and “awkward” ways of expressing themselves and relating to others • lack reciprocity in relationships and empathy for others. • lack flexibility repetitive patterns of behaviour, activities and interests • need routines in their lives • limited activities that they take part in. • struggle to communicate verbally and non-verbally • difficulty to initiate or sustain conversations • cannot make eye-contact.

5. Assessment Process • Formal assessments are conducted by: • Autism Resource Centre, • Kandang Kerbau Women’s and Children’s Hospital • National University Hospital • Tests include: • non-verbal IQ of the child, • the receptive and expressed language, • sensory difficulty, • motor skills, • attention span • general strengths and challenges

6. Goals for Autism in Singapore • Certificate in Special Needs Support • Diploma in Special Education • Advanced Diploma in Special Education • Master of Education (Special Education) from the National Institute of Education (NIE • Special Education Programme from the National Council of Social Services • Diploma in Child Psychology and Early Education • Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood Intervention from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Deployed allied educators to support 10-20% of teachers who are trained in special needs by 2013 • The College of Allied Educators also provides courses such as: • Certificate in Speech Therapy and Language Acquisition • Diploma in Special Education • Diploma in Learning Disorders and Child Psychology

7. Autism in Local Preschools Children with Autism: Need Structure Taught visually Minimize distraction Communicate through actions

8. Technology Support • AutismXpress • FindMe • Picture AAC • SpeechTree ACC

9. Local Services Available • Kandang Kerbau Women and Children’s Hospital – for assessment and diagnosis • Child Guidance Clinic – intervention clinics • Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) – for teachers in mainstream schools • Ministry of Education (MOE), Psychollogical and Guidance Branch • Autistic Association (Singapore) – parent support group • Autism Children’s Centre • Autism Youth Centre • Applied Behaviour Consultants Centre Singapore • 318 Tanglin Road Phoenix Park

10. Useful Online Resources • Autism Recovery: http://autismrecovery.sg/ • Autism Partnership Singapore: http://www.autismpartnershipsg.com/ • Singapore’s Applied Behaviour Consultants: www.abccentresingapore.com/ • Autism National Committee: www.autcom.org/ • Autism Society of America: www.autism-society.org/ • Centre for Study of Autism: www.autism.org/

11. Q & A The End “Autists are the ultimate square pegs, and the problem with pounding a square peg into a round hole is not that the hammering is hard work. It's that you're destroying the peg.” ― Paul Collins