Difference between revisions of "Disability/Education"
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== Ideal Outcomes == | == Ideal Outcomes == | ||
To what extent should educational institutions be segregated or desegregated? (see [http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Education#Discussion_on_Segregated_or_Desegregated_Education discussion below]) | To what extent should educational institutions be segregated or desegregated? (see [http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Education#Discussion_on_Segregated_or_Desegregated_Education discussion below]) | ||
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+ | Work readiness | ||
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+ | Life skills and independence | ||
== Areas of Needs == | == Areas of Needs == |
Revision as of 06:26, 1 April 2020
Contents
- 1 Overview & Synopsis
- 2 Key Statistics & Figures
- 3 Theory of Change
- 4 Ideal Outcomes
- 5 Areas of Needs
- 5.1 Supply and Training of Educators
- 5.2 Affordable School & Accessible Infrastructure
- 5.2.1 Accessibility of Pre-Schools
- 5.2.2 Accessibility of Mainstream Primary Schools
- 5.2.3 Accessibility of Mainstream Secondary Schools
- 5.2.4 Accessibility of Tertiary Educational Institutions / IHLs
- 5.2.5 Financial Subsidies to Access School
- 5.2.6 Transport Subsidies that can be used to Access School
- 5.3 Social Accommodations & Acceptance
- 5.4 PWDs are equipped with work skills
- 6 Discussion on Segregated or Desegregated Education
Overview & Synopsis
The special education sector appears to suffer from low remuneration compared to those in the mainstream education sector.
Knowledge Gaps
SPED teachers appear to face a high turnover - but need actual data on turnover vs. mainstream schools
Policy Advocacy
Actionable Areas
Key Statistics & Figures
Prevalence rate
2.1% of the student population has disabilities, based on the number of reported cases of students with sensory impairment, physical impairment, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The total student population is put at approximately 460,000[1]
There are 31,000 students with special needs (80% mainstream school, 20% SPED)[2] ; 20,000 children with SEN have enrolled in mainstream schools[3]
About 1% of students across publicly-funded universities, polytechnics and ITEs have some form of disability[4]
Theory of Change
The TOC can be articulated this way: If teachers are adequately trained to engage with students with special needs, schools are affordable and accessible, and also create a conducive environment by making accommodations to support their unique needs, then students with social needs will be equipped with skills for work and life. Put a different way, we can also say: In order for PWDs to be ready for work and life, there are 3 key thrusts: 1. Trained Educators, 2. Accessible & Affordable Schools and 3. Social Accomodation and Acceptance.
1. Trained Supply of Educators | → | ||
2. Affordable School & Accessible Infrastructure | → | PWDs are equipped with work skills | |
3. Social Accommodation & Acceptance | → |
Ideal Outcomes
To what extent should educational institutions be segregated or desegregated? (see discussion below)
Work readiness
Life skills and independence
Areas of Needs
Supply and Training of Educators
- Synopsis: There are certification pathways for educators in SPED and mainstream settings in the area of SEN; however, the issue is whether certifications are adequate, and attracting people to take on this training and career in the first place.
- For mainstream teachers, the compulsory 12-hour module on special needs does not offer in-depth learning, and there is no follow-up subsequently to ensure that teachers know how to manage practically.
- SPED teachers face unattractive salaries and burnout.
- The 500 allied educators hired by MOE are not adequately trained in terms of behavioural management and lack clarity on their roles and expectations vis-a-vis the teachers.
Programmes | Gaps | Ideas |
Mainstream Teachers
NIE Pre-Service Training on Special Needs
Teachers Trained in Special Needs (TSN) Scheme
New and TBC: A professional development roadmap to enhance special educational needs (SEN) training will be introduced in 2020 for all educators in mainstream schools This includes:
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[Anecdote: Teacher training in the area of special needs do not emphasise practical learning and hands-on experience needed to manage a class of students with disabilities.] NIE Pre-service Training Does not offer depth of learning, particularly the practical learning and hands-on experience needed to prepare teachers to manage a class with students with disabilities[6] [Anecdotal: "The lesson is really only 4-6 hours, across 1-2 lessons"] TSN Scheme [any gaps?] Professional Development Roadmap [any possible concerns?] |
TSNs in St. Anthony's Canossian Secondary School developed an in-house training module |
Allied Educators
Allied Educators (Learning and Behavioural Support)
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Special Education Teachers
Formal Education Certification
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Affordable School & Accessible Infrastructure
- Synopsis: The Revised Compulsory Education Act will ensure that most children with special needs aged 6-15 attend school; however there are concerns about its implementation (e.g. affordability of SPED schools, caregiving and transport arrangements, readiness of schools and special needs educators to accept a higher intake).
- Many mainstream preschools are reluctant to take in children with special needs because their facilitaties and teachers are not equipped and there are only a handful of inclusive preschools & ICCPs. While certain private pre-schools are better in quality and accessibility, they may not be affordable to all parents.
- There is a plethora of financial assistance and transport support from SG Enable, but the affordability of education remains a challenge to families more affected by costs involved in schooling a special needs child, especially those with severe conditions.
- The Revised Compulsory Education Act — concerns about implications:
- Are there enough teachers trained in special needs?
- Are allied educators being adequately supported?
- While primary school education is nearly free, SPED schooling can cost more – appears to go against UNCRPD Article 24, which call for “free and compulsory primary education”
- Increased costs in schooling a special needs child—transporting a child needing a wheelchair to school, to other needs such as speech and occupational therapy, high fees for those with severe conditions
- Opportunity costs can be high for children with autism, such as forgoing Applied Behaviour Analysis therapy which would have better equipped children with behavioural and learning capabilities necessary for school in the first place
- SPED schools already have long waiting lists. Can they cope?
- How would this implicate SPED school funding?
- Will special needs students be assessed at the same level as mainstream students in certain areas?
- Are there adequate caregiving and transport provisions availed?
Programmes | Gaps | Ideas |
Preschools
Inclusive Pre-schools Integrated Child Care Programme (ICCP) |
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Mainstream Primary Schools
57 primary schools have barrier-free access, and some have signing and programmes for learning disabilities (see blelow) |
Not all mainstream primary schools are fully accessible to all disability types. Few mainstream schools offer facilities for students with sensory impairments (VI/HI). |
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Mainstream Secondary Schools
34 secondary schools have barrier free access, 3 support VI and 3 support HI. Programmes exist for learning disabilities. (see below) |
Not all mainstream secondary schools are fully accessible to all disability types |
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Special Education (SPED) Schools
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Tertiary Institutions (Polys/ITEs/JCs/CI/Universities & Lasalle/NAFA)
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[Knowledge gap: extent of barrier free access; quality of support provided by DSOs] | |
Financial Subsidies
Transport Subsidies |
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Increase the means testing of Assistive Technology Fund to cover more persons with disabilities from lower-middle income households |
Accessibility of Pre-Schools
Inclusive Preschools
- Kindle Garden by AWWA
- Private service providers include:
- Bright Path Preschool[29]
- Melbourne Specialist International School
- SAIL Playhouse[30]
- Wee Care @ Tanglin
Integrated Child Care Programme (ICCP)
- Select childcare centres that allow children with mild special needs to learn, play and socialise alongside their mainstream peers
- 14 ICCP Centres caa 18 May 2018[31]
Accessibility of Mainstream Primary Schools
- Deaf/Hearing Impairment
- Mayflower Primary School (Signing)
- Physical Disabilities
- 57 primary schools have barrier-free accessibility (e.g., ramp and lifts for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility, wheelchair accessible toilets)
- Learning Disabilities
- DAS’ Main Literacy Programme
- School-based Dyslexia Remediation (SDR) Programme
Accessibility of Mainstream Secondary Schools
- Deaf/Hearing Impairment
- Beatty Secondary School (Signing)
- Outram Secondary School (Oral)
- St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School (Oral)
- Visual Impairment
- Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School
- Bedok South Secondary School
- Dunearn Secondary School
- Physical Disabilities
- 34 secondary schools have barrier free accessibility (e.g., ramp and lifts for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility, wheelchair accessible toilets)
- Learning Disabilities
- DAS’ Main Literacy Programme
- School-based Dyslexia Remediation (SDR) Programme
Accessibility of Tertiary Educational Institutions / IHLs
- Raffles Institution, ACS(I) and Milliennia Institute have barrier free accessibility (e.g., ramp and lifts for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility, wheelchair accessible toilets)[32]
- Disability Support Officers @ Special Education Needs (SEN) Support Offices
- Available at each publicly-funded university, polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College
- Provides holistic support for students with special educational needs, including in-class learning assistance and access arrangements.
- There are also more than 1,500 polytechnic and ITE staff trained in basic SEN awareness and support. All polytechnic and ITE academic staff will be trained similarly over the next five years.[33]
Financial Subsidies to Access School
- MOE Special Educational Needs Fund (Polys and ITEs only)[27]
- Students with less severe physical impairments can claim up to $5,000
- Students with less severe visual and/or hearing impairments can claim up to $25,000.
- Students with high-needs (physical / visual / hearing impairments) can claim up to $70,000 (case by case basis).
- S$675,000 has been disbursed to benefit more than 120 students
- MOE has announced that this fund will be extended to learning and language difficulties such as dyslexia, or social and behavioural difficulties like Autism Spectrum Disorder with a cap of $5,000
- Edusave Grants and Edusave Pupils Fund
- SPED Financial Assistance Scheme
- NatSteel-SPD Education Programme
Transport Subsidies that can be used to Access School
Social Accommodations & Acceptance
- To meet the unique needs of different students; acceptance by student population and neighbourood
- A handful of specialised mainstream primary and secondary schools have facilities and support for those with sensory, physical and learning disabilities; however, educators in mainstream schools generally lack the ability to engage meaningfully with students with special needs, their students might discriminate or even engage in bullying, and their parents may even resent having a special needs child in proximity
- Tertiary institutions have special education needs units, disability support offices or equivalent, though these services tend to be unstructured and unsystematic
Programmes | Gaps | Ideas |
Mainstream Primary Schools
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Mainstream Secondary Schools
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Shadow Teachers
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Special Education (SPED) Schools
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Satellite Partnerships |
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Tertiary Institutions (Polys/ITEs/JCs/CI/Universities & Lasalle/NAFA)
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ITE's Buddy’IN
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PWDs are equipped with work skills
- Vocational training in SPED is structured with a Framework for Vocational Education in place, but it tends to under-emphasise soft skills required for employment, and has not kept up to date with automation and other market developments.
- While SPED graduates typically learn how to be independent, those with developmental disabilities have a harder time retaining ADL skills upon exiting school. Newer living skills are also increasingly pertinent in a digital age, such as digital literacy and cyber-wellness.
- See also: Employment page
Programmes | Gaps | Ideas |
Special Education (SPED) Schools
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School-to-Work (S2W) Transition Programme
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Vocational Certification Programmes
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- ↑ https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Documents/Enabling%20Masterplan%203%20(revised%2013%20Jan%202017).pdf
- ↑ https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-support-for-allied-educators-help-special-needs-students-10053202
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/professionals-working-with-special-needs-kids-face-burnout-poll
- ↑ https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/International-Conventions/Documents/Singapore%20CRPD%20Report%20-%20final.pdf
- ↑ http://www.dpa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Incusion-in-Education2.pdf
- ↑ http://www.dpa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Incusion-in-Education2.pdf
- ↑ https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/big-read-mainstream-schools-children-learning-disabilities-still-face-challenges
- ↑ https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-support-for-allied-educators-help-special-needs-students-10053202
- ↑ https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/big-read-allied-educator-plays-school-mummy-special-needs-students
- ↑ National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). (2017). Issues faced by people with disabilities in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.nvpc.org.sg/resources/report-on-issues-faced-by-people-with-disabilities-in-singapore
- ↑ https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-support-for-allied-educators-help-special-needs-students-10053202
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/professionals-working-with-special-needs-kids-face-burnout-poll
- ↑ https://www.todayonline.com/voices/retain-special-educators-cut-burnout-rate
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-on-the-web/special-education-teachers-must-be-given-enough-support
- ↑ https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/big-read-mainstream-schools-children-learning-disabilities-still-face-challenges
- ↑ https://www.moe.gov.sg/careers/special-education-teachers
- ↑ https://www.ncss.gov.sg/NCSS/media/NCSS_SMD/Salary%20Guidelines/FY2018_SocialServiceSector_SalaryGuidelines.pdf
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-on-the-web/special-education-teachers-must-be-given-enough-support
- ↑ National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). (2017). Issues faced by people with disabilities in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.nvpc.org.sg/resources/report-on-issues-faced-by-people-with-disabilities-in-singapore
- ↑ http://www.drryanduffy.com/uploads/3/1/7/2/31724447/duffy__dik_2013.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240280400_Calling_and_Vocation_at_Work http://faculty.som.yale.edu/amywrzesniewski/documents/Jobscareersandcallings.pdf
- ↑ National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). (2017). Issues faced by people with disabilities in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.nvpc.org.sg/resources/report-on-issues-faced-by-people-with-disabilities-in-singapore
- ↑ http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/inclusive-pre-school-kindle-garden-set-to-double-its-fees
- ↑ http://lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Inclusive%20Survey%20Part%202%20-%20Press%20Release%20Lien%20Fdn%20Final%5B1%5D.pdf
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Documents/Enabling%20Masterplan%203%20(revised%2013%20Jan%202017).pdf
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/moe-doing-more-to-help-disadvantaged-students
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/easing-long-wait-at-sped-schools
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-funding-help-for-polytechnic-ite-students-with-special-needs
- ↑ http://www.dpa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Incusion-in-Education2.pdf
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/pre-school-takes-in-special-needs-kids-too?xtor=CS3-17
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/sail-playhouse-offers-an-inclusive-preschool-environment
- ↑ https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/ICCP%20Service%20Matrix.pdf
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/special-education/mainstream-schools
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Enabling-Masterplan-2012-2016/Pages/Education.aspx
- ↑ http://www.dpa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Incusion-in-Education2.pdf
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). (2017). Issues faced by people with disabilities in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.nvpc.org.sg/resources/report-on-issues-faced-by-people-with-disabilities-in-singapore
- ↑ http://www.includ-ed.eu/sites/default/files/documents/e010101.pdf
- ↑ https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/shadow-teachers-help-kids-special-needs
- ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/partner-schools-widen-gate-of-friendship
- ↑ https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Enabling-Masterplan-2012-2016/Pages/Education.aspx
- ↑ https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/AHEAD/38b602f4-ec53-451c-9be0-5c0bf5d27c0a/UploadedImages/CONFERNCES/2018_AHEAD/Poster_Handouts/Thursday_Proposed_Guidelines/SMU__-_Proposed_Guidelines_for_Disability_Services_in_Singapore_s_Institutes_of_Higher_Learning.pdf
- ↑ http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/subsidies-raised-for-poly-ite-students-with-severe-disabilities-9233082
- ↑ http://www.apsn.org.sg/singtel-introduces-cyber-wellness-toolkit-for-special-needs-students/
- ↑ http://www.dpa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Incusion-in-Education2.pdf
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/people-with-disabilities-losing-jobs-to-technology