The fields of special needs education and disability in Singapore have witnessed significant changes and developments especially during the past two decades in the wake of Singapore's evolution towards its vision as an inclusive society. This collection of chapters presents information, knowledge, research, and perspectives across a wide range of topics and issues that are relevant to the lives of persons with disabilities, their families and their communities. This book offers a compendium of local knowledge and research on special needs and disability and integrates international literature, exemplary practices, and innovative ideas for considering future directions and efforts for the fields of special needs education and disability in Singapore.
Sample Chapter(s)
Foreword
Preface
Chapter 1: Special Needs and Inclusion
Chapter 15: Sexuality Development in Persons with Intellectual Disability: A Singapore Perspective
Contents:
- Special Needs and Inclusion (Levan Lim & Wong Meng Ee)
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Singapore: Considering Some Post-Ratification Implications (Wong Meng Ee)
- Education as Apprenticeship for the Future: The Evolution of Singapore's Approach and its Impact on Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities (Levan Lim & Thana Thaver)
- The Struggle for Merit in Meritocratic Singapore: Implications for Persons with Disabilities (Wong Meng Ee)
- Early Intervention for Young Children with Special Needs in Singapore: History, Development and Future Directions (Kenneth K Poon, Xie Huichao & Yang Xueyan)
- Early Childhood Inclusion in Singapore: Inroads and Review (Joanna Tay-Lim)
- Journey of the Heart: Enabling Students with Special Needs (Tina Hung)
- Psychological Services for Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools (Mariam Aljunied)
- Differentiation: Providing for Students with Special Needs in Mixed Ability Classrooms (Letchmi Devi Ponnusamy)
- Stakeholders' Involvement in the Transition to Adulthood for Youth with Disabilities (Ailsa Goh and Nursidah Malik)
- Preparing Persons with Disabilities for the World of Work: The Case of SG Enable Bridging Job Seekers and Employers (Ku Geok Boon)
- Disability and Employment: Confronting Challenges in Contemporary Singapore (Vimallan Manokara)
- Improving the Mental Health of Students with Special Needs in Mainstream Schools (Loh Pek Ru)
- Educating Students with Hearing Loss: Towards Integration and Inclusion (Christina Michael)
- Sexuality Development in Persons with Intellectual Disability: A Singapore perspective (Lohsnah Jeevanandam)
- A Perspective from an Educator-Parent (Norman Kee Kiak Nam)
- Living a Good Life (Chong Suet Ling)
Readership: Students, researchers and the public who are interested in trends, developments and issues in the fields of special needs education and disability in Singapore.
"What an excellent resource this publication is! Everything that one needs to know or should know about special education in Singapore has been comprehensively captured here. From tracing the genesis of special education to its current state, to acknowledging the key players and watershed moments which have shaped the special education landscape, to covering the issues and challenges pertinent to this sector with such depth and clarity, this volume is a treasure trove of collective wisdom and experience. Whether you are a student, parent, caregiver, teacher, researcher, practitioner or a person interested in finding out more about special education, this publication is for you."
Anita Fam
President of the National Council of Social Service, Singapore
"This is a landmark study of disability and inclusion in Singapore that deserves to be widely read by educators, policymakers, researchers and everyone involved in the 3Ps of special needs — people, private and public sectors. Singapore is a unique and compelling place, a social experiment of great international interest for its stellar achievements and canny and committed way of doing things. Since 2004, disability has been officially part of the strong inclusion story that underpins Singapore's aspirations. This book explores how Singapore has tackled the challenging yet essential task of ensuring people with disabilities are part of the vision of an inclusive society. A hallmark achievement of this book is the fine quality of its essays that offer rigorous, thoughtful, and highly reflective accounts of the long-running efforts to improve the quality of life and inclusion of people with disabilities in Singapore. This book offers a seminal volume that is essential reading for anyone interested in disability in Singapore. It is also a major contribution to the international literature not just because it provides an authoritative account of disability in a country of much global fascination but also advances our contextual understanding of disability and inclusion."
Professor Gerard Goggin
Wee Kim Wee Professor of Communication Studies
Nanyang Technological University
"Very rarely do we come across a publication that speaks about special needs and disabilities with such breadth and depth that is representative of the diversity of persons being discussed, as has been accomplished by Meng Ee and Levan. The variety of voices from different stakeholders coupled with comprehensive facts is a refreshing take on how far we have come in the space of inclusion, but also a reminder that we owe it to ourselves and future generations of Singaporean learners and educators that much more can, and ought to be done."
J R Karthikeyan
CEO, AWWA
"It is my honour and privilege to be invited to provide 'a few words' about this book. It has been more than 15 years since Educating Learners with Diverse Abilities (Lim & Quah, 2004) was released as a source book for teachers in training. Since then, the special education scene has undergone some major changes. While special schools are still with us, the trend is moving more and more towards the provision of opportunities for children with mild special needs to receive a more 'inclusive' education within regular classes within mainstream schools. This book is timely, not just for those in the profession, but also beyond. It will be a valuable resource for teachers at different levels of training and experience, be they graduate level students, students in their senior years of undergraduate studies, academic staff and professionals in the fields of special educational needs and disability. It also offers the general public some insights into how special education has evolved over the last 20 years. The 17 chapters contain up-to-date and valuable information about trends and issues in special education in Singapore and should be read by every teacher working alongside these students. My heartiest congratulations to the authors and editors on producing a very readable and excellent discussion of these trends and issues in special needs education."
Dr Marilyn Mayling Quah
Founding Head of the Department of Education for Children with Special Needs (1982–1991) &
Head of the Division of Specialised Education (1991–2002), National Institute of Education
"My colleagues and I at Special Educational Needs Division, MOE, welcome this important contribution to the literature on Special Needs in Singapore. The writers provide valuable and diverse perspectives which combine to bring across the wide range of needs, the progress made thus far in addressing those needs as well as the challenges, opportunities and possibilities ahead. This book will be of great help to the community of stakeholders working together to create a more inclusive Singapore."
Lucy Toh (Mrs)
Divisional Director, Special Educational Needs Division
Ministry of Education, Singapore
Wong Meng Ee, Associate Professor, Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Levan Lim, Associate Professor, Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
