Wong, Meng Ee

Assistive technologies (AT) enable individuals who are visually impaired to read and write, access information and enhance communication. This study investigated the use of AT by students with visual impairments and their teachers in a special school. While teachers unequivocally recognized the benefits of AT, there were significant gaps and disconnections in AT knowledge and skills amongst teachers. For students, a majority were not using nor had much knowledge of AT. While the school had made some efforts to introduce AT, the experience of students was limited as inconsistencies in use of and access to AT were dependent on teachers' skills and the availability of equipment. Parents, siblings, friends and peers, and other social networks emerged as important sources of influence.

This paper explores online resources in Singapore that reflect the current state of support in higher education for students with visual impairment. In the six institutions of higher education there was evidence of support being provided for students with disabilities ― but the type and extent of support was variable, and messages conveyed to students were mixed. Provisions tend to be generic in nature, and do not necessarily address needs related to specific disabilities. If students with disabilities are to participate in higher education, clearer communication is necessary to enable them to make informed choices with confidence. Information needs to confirm that they will have the requisite support to afford them the opportunities associated with the university experience.

This study explored the ways in which a group of 30 newly qualified Allied Educators (Learning & Behavioural Support), or AED (LBS), grew into their professional role within their school communities and the kinds of responsibilities they faced daily. Many of them were also the only AED (LBS) in their school. Findings revealed that these AED (LBS) took on a spectrum of roles in school and faced a range of expectations, from having to be miracle workers to being relegated to administrative support. The most well-adjusted AED (LBS) were the ones who were in school communities that had a collaborative learning culture, were supportive of students with heterogeneous needs, and were surrounded by more teachers and school leaders who had knowledge in special education.

The concept of meritocracy stands as a fundamental ethos within the governance and educational paradigms in Singapore. This principle, notwithstanding its intrinsic paradoxes – most notably, the juxtaposition of egalitarian ideals against elitist practices – remains steadfastly upheld, with no indications of waning in the foreseeable future. A pertinent issue arising from this meritocratic orientation is the integration of students with special educational needs (SEN) into a system deeply ingrained with meritocratic values, especially considering the obstacles they face regarding accessibility, resource allocation, and prevailing societal attitudes towards disability. This study does not propose dismantling meritocratic frameworks; instead, it proposes the adoption of an inclusive meritocratic model. By exploring how meritocracy and inclusive education have manifested in Singapore, this paper delves into three critical barriers – namely, academic tracking, elitism, and the influence of parentocracy – that concurrently undermine the principles of meritocracy and the ethos of inclusive education. Utilizing Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory as a methodological lens, this paper elucidates the complex interplay among these barriers and their compounded effects across different systemic levels. With a nuanced understanding of the challenges, the paper offers several recommendations for cultivating an inclusive meritocratic system.

"The study aimed to explore the emerging identities and school responsibilities of a group of AED (LBS) that graduated in 2009 from the NIE Diploma in Special Education (DISE) programme. The project proposal had these research questions as a guide, and these were not changed in the course of the study: 1. How do the AED(LBS) participants view themselves and define their roles in Singapore's diverse school contexts and settings? 2. How do they fit into/ shape their roles in their schools to support children with special needs? 3. How do they create their own communities of learning to further shape their identities and roles? 4. How can their teaching and learning inform their preparation at the NIE (and/or teacher education)?" -- p. 1.

"The primary research questions are: 1. What are the barriers and challenges to using assistive technology by students with visual impairments? 2. What are the classroom pedagogies, beliefs, and practices of teachers of students with visual impairments?--[page 2].

Transition is difficult for everyone, but it is particularly challenging for youth with disabilities and their families. When these youth transition out of school to post school environments, they will move from a structured environment with clear daily routines, with school personnel who are tasked to teach and support them, to environments where ongoing support and services are not readily available. Some of these youth with disabilities enter work environments that can be impersonal and most of them are unprepared for the level of independence that is required of them (Sitlington, Frank, & Carson, 1992). Many of them will find difficulty forming social networks as an adult and feel isolated in the community (Amado, Stancliffe, McCarron, & McCallion, 2013). Many youth with disabilities leave school with no employment in the near future (Nord, Luecking, Mank, Kiernan, & Wray, 2013) and to further complicate matters, there may be limited places at alternative day activity centres for them (Enabling Masterplan, 2012). These group of youth with disabilities may be inactive, socially isolated, and will continue to rely on family for any social and community interaction (Lichtenstein & Michaelides, 1993; Ow & Lang, 2000).