Search

Teachers are more likely to include children with developmental needs (DN) in their classroom when they perceive that important people around them, such as principals, colleagues, and parents of children with and without DN, endorse inclusive education. Adequacy of resources and availability of training opportunities may also affect how teachers perceived being supported. This study examines Singapore preschool teachers' perception of support received from their working environment to include children with DN and how this predicts their intention to practice inclusive education and self-reported implementation of inclusive practices in the classroom. The original Perceived School Support for Inclusive Education (PSSIE) scale, developed in Bangladesh, was reviewed for relevance and clarity by a panel of six experts familiar with Singapore preschool inclusion. 211 preschool teachers in Singapore completed the new 11-item revised PSSIE -- Singapore Version online. Perceived school support was found to be a single construct that significantly and reliably predicts both intention and self-reported practices (alpha = 0.929). Stakeholders in Singapore can now use this newly validated instrument to reliably understand the support received by teachers and to re-examine the strategies provided to support preschool teachers in this journey towards quality inclusive education.

The Family Outcomes Survey--Revised (FOS-R) measures family outcomes of services for young children with disabilities or developmental delays, and it can be used to investigate change in outcome achievement over time. To confirm the validity of FOS-R change scores, it must be established that the FOS-R measures the same construct over time; if so, score changes can be attributed to family outcome achievement. However, if not, interpretation of change scores may be misleading. Caregivers (N = 349) of Singaporean children with developmental delays receiving early intervention services completed the FOS-R Part A twice, approximately 1 year apart. Factor analysis was used to confirm the structure of the FOS-R Part A and to assess whether the scale measures the same thing across time (i.e., longitudinal measurement invariance). Results provided support for partial longitudinal measurement invariance, indicating that change scores on this scale can be validly interpreted with certain caveats.

It has been reported that there is a rise in the number of individuals being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Singapore along with evolving changes in public awareness, attitudes, and levels of financial support occurring in the field in recent years. As such, this column presents the current status and issues related to the identification of individuals with ASD and the provision of early intervention services, education, and transition services for these people in Singapore. Additional needs and future recommendations are also included.

Culturally bounded in nature, adaptive behavior is the degree to which a person meets the requirements of personal independence and social responsibilities. This study aimed to develop a computerized adaptive test (CAT) of a culturally appropriate adaptive behavior measure (i.e., the Activities and Participation Rating Scale [APRS]) in the Singapore context for children aged 7 to 12 years, that is, the CAT-APRS-Primary. In Study 1, an item bank consisting of 310 adaptive skills was developed and piloted among 56 caregivers. In Study 2, the refined 310 items were calibrated using Rasch analysis among 352 caregivers. After the removal of five poor items based on the Rasch analysis, the finalized 305 items were used for the CAT development, with these items showing good Rasch person and item fit statistics. Preliminary utility of the CAT-APRS-Primary was established, with participants completing 24 items on average. Limitations and implications for future research were discussed.

The "Pre-K Classroom Assessment Scoring System" (CLASS) is commonly used to measure three domains of teacher-child interactional quality in preschool classrooms (Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support). However, there is considerable debate regarding the validity of its three-domain factor structure and the applicability of CLASS across different countries and educational settings. This study contributes to this debate with an investigation of the factor structure of the CLASS in Singapore, comparing the factor structure for preschool classrooms serving typically developing children (n = 184) and early intervention classrooms serving children who require early intervention support (n = 182). Bifactor measurement models were used to explore the dimensionality of the CLASS in these settings. A best-fitting bifactor model with one general (Responsive Teaching) and two specific factors (Proactive Management and Routines, Cognitive Facilitation) was a good fit for the overall data. Comparison of preschool and early intervention classrooms indicated partial metric invariance, suggesting that while the factor structure was equivalent across the different settings, the loadings on some dimensions differed between preschool and early intervention classrooms. Future research could examine how different aspects of interactions in different settings contribute to children's learning.

While there has been growing theoretical and policy interest in the areas of homeschool partnership and inclusive education, relatively little work has linked the two fields. Where there have been studies, these have focused primarily on parent or school perspective. With inclusive education in its nascent stage in Singapore, this study examines the different roles emerging from home and school as well as factors underpinning this partnership. Data was drawn from interviews with 13 parents and 30 school staff. Our findings indicate that home-school partnership is a work in progress that is continually subject to home and school dynamics. The expectations and perceptions of parents and educators must be taken into consideration if the partnership is to succeed and sustain. Support from the wider community creates a synergy which reinforces home-school partnership and increases the visibility of children with disabilities by turning a private concern into a shared societal issue.

Family quality of life (FQoL) constitutes an important aspect of early intervention. However, the culture bound nature of this construct necessitates validation of FQoL measures when being used in a culture different from the one in which they were developed. This study sought to understand the psychometric properties and construct validity of the Beach Center FQoL (BCFQoL) scale in Singapore. Data from 307 caregivers of children in an early intervention program were used. These caregivers completed the BCFQoL scale and external validity measures of family outcomes, psychological distress, and life situation. Confirmatory factor analysis and correlations were used to examine the factor structure and convergent and discriminant validity of the BCFQoL scale. Results indicated support for 5 FQoL dimensions and a higher-order FQoL factor. External convergent and discriminant validity, as well as internal statistical discriminant validity of the individual BCFQoL dimensions were supported. Despite evidence of internal statistical discriminant validity, there was little variation in the strength of the relationships between individual BCFQoL dimensions and the various external validity measures. Overall, the results of this study support the use of the BCFQoL scale as a valid measure of FQoL in Singapore.

Aims: This study sought to investigate the predictors of spontaneous Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) use in a naturalistic school setting. Method: The study recruited 44 students (36 boys and eight girls), aged between 6 to 18 years and their teachers (26 teachers and two teaching assistants). Teaching staff completed measures of student's communicative ability, autism symptomology and PECS abilities. Teachers also provided information of their PECS training history and PECS teaching experience. Findings: Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis revealed that: (1) teacher's intentional pre-planning of PECS; (2) context in which PECS is used; (3) PECS phase level; and (4) the number of months of PECS teaching experience teachers had significantly predicted spontaneous PECS use. Child-dependent variables such as the severity of student's autism symptomology and level of student's mastery and age did not significantly predict spontaneous PECS use. Limitations: The limitations of this study are the small sample size, teachers' self-reported bias, and the lack of exploring other potential factors. Conclusions: The findings of the study highlight the importance for professionals, such as Educational Psychologists (EPs), to consider implementation factors that will impact the efficacy of intervention. In this study, it was the orchestration of how PECS is taught that had significantly predicted better PECS spontaneous use, rather than within-child factors. This suggests that PECS is suitable for a wide range of ASD learners. Additionally, it provides new insights for EPs to emphasise certain components over others during PECS teachers' trainings.

Award-winning Green Preschools in Bali, Berkeley and Hong Kong were selected to explore the characteristics of Green Schools using measures developed by educators (Environmental Rating Scale for Sustainable Development in Early Childhood (ERS-SDEC)) and architects (simplified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) development). Classrooms for 4- to 5-year-olds were systematically assessed over a 10-month period. A 35 years' timeline of the Green School movement was produced. The Bronfenbrenner Ecological Theory has been used to frame and analyse this cross-national study. Results indicated striking similarities from both scales that the Green Preschool in Bali received the highest rating followed by Green Preschool in Berkeley and Hong Kong. Three distinct Green School characteristics were found to be: (a) holistic, (b) building and (c) curriculum. The schools' green characteristics appeared to be influenced by cultures, city regulations and the external institutions that established the green awards.

The Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3) is a commonly used measure of early mathematics knowledge for children aged 3 years to 8 years 11 months. In spite of its wide use, research on the psychometric properties of TEMA-3 remains limited. This study applied the Rasch model to investigate the psychometric properties of TEMA-3 from three aspects: technical qualities, internal structure, and convergent evidence. Data were collected from 971 K1 children in Singapore. Item fit statistics suggested a reasonable model-data fit. The TEMA-3 items were found to demonstrate generally good technical qualities, interpretable internal structure, and reasonable convergent evidence. Implications for test development, test use, and future research are further discussed.

Anxiety-related problems are among the most frequently reported mental health difficulties in autism spectrum disorder. As most research has focused on clinical samples or high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder, less is known about the factors associated with anxiety in community samples across the ability range. This cross-sectional study examined the association of gender, age, adaptive functioning and autism symptom severity with different caregiver-reported anxiety symptoms. Participants were caregivers of 241 children (6-18 years old) with autism spectrum disorder attending special schools in Singapore. Measures included the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale and assessments of overall emotional, behavioural and adaptive functioning. Caregivers reported more anxiety symptoms in total, but fewer social anxiety symptoms, than Spence Children's Anxiety Scale Australian/Dutch norms. There were no gender differences. Variance in total anxiety scores was best explained by severity of repetitive speech/stereotyped behaviour symptoms, followed by adaptive functioning. Severity of repetitive speech/behaviour symptoms was a significant predictor of separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, panic/agoraphobia and obsessive-compulsive subscale symptoms, but not of social phobia and physical injury fears. Adaptive functioning and chronological age predicted social phobia and generalized anxiety symptoms only. Severity of social/communication autism symptoms did not explain any anxiety symptoms, when the other variables were controlled for. Findings are discussed in relation to the existing literature. Limitations and possible implications for prevention, assessment and intervention are also discussed.

In this study, we sought to examine the perceptions of teachers and other school professionals towards the inclusion of secondary school students with special educational needs (SEN), and the associated factors. The Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised scale (SACIE-R) was completed by 131 teachers and school professionals from two mainstream secondary schools in Singapore. The findings revealed an overall neutral attitude towards inclusion. Together, confidence in teaching students with SEN, the level of training SEN support, as well as experience teaching students with SEN account for a large proportion of the variance in ratings of inclusive perceptions. Further analyses revealed that confidence in teaching or supporting students with SEN was found to be a significant predictor of inclusive perceptions. The findings suggest that schools seeking to engage in inclusive practices should focus on ways to develop the confidence of personnel to support students with SEN. Professional development and mentorship were suggested as possible avenues.

The student profile, model of service delivery, and support practices for young children with disabilities receiving early childhood intervention (ECI) in Singapore is reported and contrasted in this study. The supervisors/managers/principals of eight Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) centres, eight Integrated Child Care Programmes (ICCP), six privately run ECI centres, and 65 preschools participated in this study. Overall, autism spectrum disorder was the most commonly reported diagnosis in this study. EIPIC and privately run ECI centres supported mostly children with disabilities (frequently those with more severe disabilities) and provided more specialized education and therapy support, whereas ICCPs and preschools educated them alongside typically developing peers. EIPIC centres provided the most resource and teacher support for young children with disabilities. Issues pertaining to the reported rates of disabilities among the young children and support models/practices are discussed.

Relatively little work has focused on inclusive education in Singapore. This study examines the experiences and perceptions of parents whose children with disabilities are attending mainstream secondary schools in Singapore. Data was drawn from interviews with 13 parents of children with mild disabilities. Our findings reveal that parental perspective on inclusive education in Singapore is not only about classroom support but also reflects a deeper concern about whether their children with disabilities will emerge from school as contributing individuals in society. While parents strive to effectively include their children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms, there were dichotomies in their (1) understanding of disabilities, (2) expectations of school support, and (3) expectations for their child with disabilities. Given that academic and social prowess is a critical prerequisite to have a shot at entering the meritocratic Singapore society, the tension parents experience is to gauge a reasonable amount of pressure to exert on their children, the school and themselves as they assert their children's educational entitlements within an imperfect but evolving state of inclusion.

This study sought to understand the perspectives of four youth with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFA) regarding their experiences in Singapore secondary schools. Qualitative analyses of in-depth interviews revealed that youth with HFA actively construct their experience of being a person with HFA. The extent to which the youth were engaged or disengaged in school appears to be related to the support provided by the environment. Implications of the findings for practice are discussed. The role of the phenomenological approach to providing insights into the lives of persons with HFA is also discussed.

This study sought to understand the parental expectations of social attainments in the postschool years. The parents of 20 adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) attending special schools were interviewed. Most expected their children would be working in sheltered workshops or unemployed. All parents indicated that their children would live with them until they were unable to provide appropriate care, and nearly half expressed wishes for relatives to care for them thereafter. None expected any independent access to the community. Analysis of the interviews suggested that the adolescents' learning and behavior, parental concerns, availability of formal resources, and societal factors influenced parents' expectations. Implications for working with Asian populations and for service delivery in Singapore are discussed.

Research on the reading skills of monolingual children has established a convergent skills model for acquisition involving context-free decoding, language comprehension, and visual and phonological processing. This study sought to identify the predictors of Primary One bilingual children's reading accuracy and reading comprehension in English. Eighty English-Mandarin-speaking girls (aged 6.5 years) attending Singapore schools were administered a battery of tests measuring phonological awareness (phoneme deletion), receptive vocabulary, receptive grammar, short-term memory (digit span), reading accuracy, and reading comprehension. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that phonological awareness significantly predicts reading accuracy and reading comprehension skills. Reading accuracy significantly predicts reading comprehension. Receptive grammar significantly predicts reading comprehension, but not reading accuracy. Unlike studies conducted with monolingual children, memory and vocabulary were not predictive of reading accuracy and comprehension. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.

Singapore is a young island nation with a diverse population. Its support for young children at risk has its roots in the 1950s, but early childhood intervention (ECI) programs for young children with disabilities emerged only in the 1980s. ECI programs have proliferated in the subsequent years, offering an increasing range of service delivery models. The current provision of ECI services for young children in Singapore with identified disabilities and those at risk is described and evaluated using the Developmental Systems Approach to Early Intervention of M. J. Guralnick (2005) as an analytical framework. The impact and recommendations of recent developments in the field such as the Enabling Masterplan for the Disability Sector 2012-2016 is also discussed. Finally, future directions for the provision of ECI services in Singapore is considered.

This study sought to understand the profile of and the factors which impact upon challenging behaviors among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and multiple disabilities (MD). Teachers of 322 and 132 children with ASD and MD, respectively, attending special schools in Singapore, completed the Developmental Behavior Checklist, Teacher Version (DBC-T; Einfeld & Tonge, 1995). The findings suggest that children with ASD exhibit elevated levels of challenging behavior in all areas, relative to children with MD. Multiple regression analyses also indicate that diagnostic category was associated with all aspects of challenging behavior measured by the DBC-T. In addition, age was associated with only disruptive/antisocial behaviors in this study. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study describes the profile of and relationships between adaptive skills and the maladaptive behaviors exhibited by adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) attending special schools in Singapore. Parents of 20 adolescents with ASD attending special schools completed the Development Behavior Checklist (DBC; Einfeld & Tonge, 1995; Einfeld & Tonge, 2002) and were interviewed on Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, second edition (VABS-II; Sparrow, Cicchetti, & Balla, 2005). Consistent with studies conducted in other contexts, this study reported low levels of adaptive skills and the presence of challenging behavior, albeit at levels reflecting lower levels of severity when compared with previous research. The only statistically significant relationship between the instruments was the correlation between the social and communication subscales of the VABS-II with the social relatedness subscale of the DBC. Implications for further research and for practice are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

Investigated the impact of phonological awareness in English and Chinese of 57 multilingual pupils whose language backgrounds were English, Chinese (Mandarin/dialect), or Bahasa Indonesia, using a homophone decision task, an English lexicality spelling test, and a Hanyu Pinyin spelling test. (Author/JL)