PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES
Programmes and Services
·
Learning Assistance Programme in Primary and Secondary levels.
·
Pre-Vocational
Programme in Secondary Schools
·
Support Services for Students with High Support Needs provided
by Educational Psychologists and Methods, Resource and Support
Team
·
Support Services for Students with Hearing Impairment
·
Support Services for Students with Speech and Language
Impairment
·
Support Services for Students with Visual Impairment
·
Enrichment Programme for the Gifted, Talented and Creative
Students
Currently, the Learning
Assistance Programme is established and functioning, giving assistance to
students with special educational needs (SEN) state-wide. The majority of these
students have learning problems. They experience difficulties in the basic
skill areas of reading, writing and mathematics.
Initially, the SENA teachers
identify students who have SEN by collecting information from teachers,
classroom observations, results of tests/ exams, and through screening tests.
Once the students with SEN are identified, SENA teachers will assess the
student’s abilities to determine what their individual needs are. The SENA
teachers then plan an intervention programme in collaboration with the classroom
teachers or subject teachers and parents.
Next, an
intervention programme is implemented, that meets the student’s individual
learning needs. This is achieved either through adaptation and/or modification
of the curriculum. On a regular basis, the SENA teachers will pull out the
students from the regular classroom and work with them individually or in a
small group. At the same time, SENA teachers will also collaborate with the
class teachers by advising, demonstrating teaching techniques through
team-teaching and monitoring the success of the suggested student’s programme.
Pre-Vocational Programme
The Pre-Vocational
Programme is a programme designed to meet the needs of two distinct
groups of students with SEN in the Secondary Schools. These groups
are those with high support needs and the slow learners. The
programme is designed to provide opportunities for these students to
achieve their full potential and learn various independent living
skills. The more able among this group of students may acquire some
basic academic skills, living and social skills, vocational and work
skills which will make them ready for the world of life and work
after school.
The
Pre-vocational Programme is intended to help students:
·
acquire some
basic academic, vocational and/or technical skills,
·
develop
appropriate behavioural, social skills and work habits
·
develop into
independent adults and/or valued employees
The programme is delivered
over a five year period with an emphasis on the following:
·
Year 1, 2 and 3
: Career Awareness and Exploration
·
Year
4 : Career Preparation and Specialization
·
Year
5 : Career Placement and Follow-up
Enrichment Programme for
the Gifted, Talented and Creative Students
Gifted, talented and creative
students are those who require a special programme and provisions beyond those
offered by the regular school programme to realize their contribution to self
and society (p. 9, Special Education Policy Guidelines, 1997). In 1999, an
Enrichment Programme for these students was piloted by the SEU. It was a
partial-pull out programme, one day a week for the duration of eight weeks for
selected upper primary levels students. It was designed to provide these
students with the opportunity to enhance learning, interpersonal communication
and thinking skills. In addition, skills specific to the academic areas of
Mathematics, Science and Language were taught.
In 2004, the Enrichment
Programme Professional Development Training for teachers was conducted. These
sessions include theoretical aspects such as: inclusive education, concept of
intelligence, conceptual and philosophical basis for enrichment programmes
followed by specific areas of specialization, i.e. Mathematics, Language,
Science, ICT and Art/Drama. The training focused both on the theoretical and
practical aspects of the Programme so that teachers have the opportunity to
implement what they have learnt in the classroom settings.
Support Services for
Students with High Support Needs provided by Educational Psychologists and the
Methods, Resource and Support Team
Children with a medical
diagnosis/record indicating High Support Needs are referred to the SEU either by
their parents, SENA teachers, classroom teachers, head teachers or medical
officers. In addition, children who are difficult to assess by SENA teacher,
children failing to make progress in spite of the best efforts of the SENA
teacher and children who are victims of unusual and unexpected circumstances are
also to be referred to the SEU for psychological assessment. The range of
assessment used with these children includes formal tests, structured
observations, gathering background information, interviewing and informal
assessments. Once the data is collected it is analyzed and a programme is
suggested and discussed with the School Based Team: SENA teachers, class/subject
teachers, head teacher and parents. The educational psychologists provide a
written consultation report at the end of each visit which includes a range of
suggestions and recommendations for the child’s Individualized Educational Plan
(IEP). An IEP is a written plan which describes the objectives, goals, teaching
strategies, strengths and needs of the students. Follow-up visits by the
educational psychologists assist in evaluating the intervention programme and
the child’s progress.
The services of the Methods,
Resource and Support Team (MRST) from the SEU are essential in helping to create
an appropriate educational environment which is most likely to promote
children’s learning. This is done by providing direct and effective support to
the classroom teachers so that students with high support needs can be
meaningfully included in learning activities in regular classrooms. MRST also
offer assistance to school based teams to complete collaborative planning in an
attempt to develop instructional strategies to help improve the learning
outcomes of these students. This support is either a one day visit or a full
week with some suggested teaching materials and instructional ideas for teachers
involving students with high support needs.
The educational psychologists
and MRST also participate in the Multi-Disciplinary Committee Meetings at
Ministry of Health to discuss referral cases and assessing and planning
strategies for children with high support needs with the possibility of school
placements.
Support Services for Students with Hearing Impairment
Students with
special needs include those who have sensory impairment. In 1998, a
specialist from Canada in hearing impairment (HI) trained 13 SENA
teachers. Follow-up training on hearing impairment was conducted by
ISESCO. Identified students with HI are studying in both government
and non-government schools. Regular teachers and SENA Teachers have
been trained by the SEU on strategies to assist these students in
inclusive settings. Workshops on Sign Language have been conducted
for parents of students with HI in order to facilitate more
effective communication.
The workshops
included training in the use of signing hand codes, finger spelling,
expressive and receptive communication, facial expression and other
non-verbal means of communication.
Different resources
for students with HI are also implemented. These include the
Microlink FM System, hearing aids and amplifiers to assist the
students to achieve their academic goals.
The SEU also provides services
for students with speech and language impairment. The Speech Therapist at the
SEU identifies and assesses these students to determine the severity of their
problems, provides appropriate therapy and programme intervention. The Speech
Therapist works both with the school and the parents in developing and
implementing appropriate support programmes.
Support Services for Students with Visual Impairment
Students with
vision impairment include those who have low vision, students who
are partially sighted and students who have no vision. In the
inclusive school setting the guidelines recommended for the school
placement of student with no vision and those with low vision
include the ability to move within the environment with the least
amount of help; the ability to follow instructions, socialize and
communicate with others; with self-help skills and no severe
behavior problems.
In early 1999, a
specialist was invited to train twelve SENA teachers in the area of
visual impairment, for a period of eleven weeks. These SENA
teachers have mastered the Malay Braille Code and Mathematics Code
(Grade 1 and 2); orientation, mobility and daily living skills;
education of children with low vision and special teaching methods
and adaptations for blind and low vision children.
Recently, fifteen
teachers attended the English Braille Code Workshop (Grade 2) for
three months (April to June, 2004). Ten of them will take the
Braille Proficiency Examination in March 2005.
