Inclusivity of mainstream tertiary schools towards students with disabilities/special educational...

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Inclusivity of mainstream tertiary schools towards students with disabilities/special educational needs by Mind Map: Inclusivity of mainstream tertiary schools towards students with disabilities/special educational needs

1. “SPMS doesn’t really quite support my learning with regards to adequate facilities or educational resources. I don’t think this disability is even recognised in the school because it is not visibly common”

2. "I often use the facilities in hall for studying, or go to the library"

3. “Even though it’s much better now than from primary and secondary school, I still struggle with my social skills… No matter how socially-politically correct I say things, people still find me weird… People already have their prejudices about my condition, but I've learnt to stop blaming myself for other people’s responses, there’s no point trying to please everyone”

4. “Oh I guess it helps now that there’s a lift in our school. Because in JC we didn’t have one so I would like die every time.”

5. “If you’ve ever been to NJC, from the side gate all the way to the canteen, it's just stairs all the way. So it's not the most helpful environment when you're struggling to walk.”

6. “By giving me a chance, by helping me in my education and (...) send me for some counseling”

7. “Public schools are still not so attuned towards this kind of disabilities…especially when (...) you do not fit the mould of what a person who is in need should look like. (...) If you look perfectly fine and people think that you’re here, you should be fine. So dealing with the social stigma is a bit difficult.”

8. “(…) in the case of social interaction/group projects, it’s easy to dismiss one with disability and communicate with those who are similar to ourselves because it is easier (…)”

9. “if I really talk about stress, I think it’s just a part of life. Right? You have to learn how to deal with it or you just break down…so you just have to adapt.”

10. “I love my course in ITE, and I managed to engage with people around me (...) I find the pace and lessons of my classes is really good, and I can learn a lot of things in school”

11. “Lectures are available online and I could always turn up the volume/replay the lecture videos (…) even if I miss out an explanation from the tutor, I can always refer back to the whiteboard to keep up”

12. Do you think the school has been inclusive in meeting your educational needs? (In terms of design of assignments, school environment and resources) Why or why not? What do you think can be improved on?

13. Tell us about a situation when you didn't feel included. Why? Tell us more about your relationship with your classmates.

14. What does inclusive education look like to you?

15. What are some social challenges you have faced throughout your tertiary education? Which of these challenges do you think are related to having a disability?

16. Could you tell us more about your disability? How has it impacted your life and your education journey?

17. How are you coping with school? Do you find your current academic curriculum rigorous? Are you engaging in any co-curricular activities?

18. Dimension 1: Meeting educational needs in academic curriculum

19. Dimension 4: Adequate facilities and educational resources for students with special needs

20. Dimension 3: Sufficient platforms/opportunities to foster social interactions

21. What are some challenges you have faced throughout your tertiary education in the form of environmental or resource constraint? Which of these challenges do you think are related to having a disability?

22. KEY FINDINGS: 1) Educational needs are being met in terms of academic curriculum. 2) Despite their condition, the students have learnt how to cope with the expectations and standards of being in a mainstream school.

23. KEY FINDINGS: 1) There exist opportunities for students with special needs/disabilities to interact with their peers. 2) However, more could be done to better facilitate and promote the quality of these interactions.

24. KEY FINDINGS: 1) Current measures are actually commendable for a mainstream school, but more could be done to better cater to the needs of students with special needs/disabilities. 2) For those with physical disabilities, the school could be better equipped with amenities such as lifts, or utilize technology (e.g. hearing impaired headsets and microphones) to improve their learning experience.

25. “So far, I’ve not received any special treatment, i’m treated like any undergraduate. They probably don’t care, regardless you’re still an undergraduate… it’s alright, you got to be fair to other neuro-typical students”

26. “I enjoy my course in SBS, at least I don’t feel like I drag my feet to school… School is manageable, even though I’m doing two majors”

27. “Socially…people are quite nice about it. I think at the start, when I first tell people, they don’t know how to react. And they’re always like, oh god, what do you do, do you need help. But in JC people are like quite a f***** about it.”

28. “(...) when I do project with my colleague, we discuss among ourselves and we help one another (...) when I was in secondary, (...) my CCA is NPCC”

29. “When I’m like “Oh I didn’t go for class cause of like lupus and stuff” or “Oh , I can’t do this because…” and they’re like quite accommodating. I think it’s like illegal for them to not be.”

30. “The lack of familiarity means that they’re not like ‘You can do this, you can do this.’ But I mean, they don’t know what’s happening. So they’re more typically relenting to us or accommodating towards my needs. So I think that’s very useful.”

31. “During my Nitec days, (...) my teacher really guide me a lot until I understand a lot (...) he tried to help me as much as (he) can”

32. “(…) to ensure that my needs are met, I have to take initiative on my own to voice out my concerns (…)”

33. “I don’t study to the same level of intensity as others. I cannot put in as much hours as they do (...) I miss a lot of my morning classes (...) But I think Uni is more chilled (…) So if you miss one day you miss one class. You can still kind of make it.”

34. KEY FINDINGS: 1) Teachers are generally understanding and accommodating towards students with special needs/disabilities. 2) These students usually take the initiative to ask for assistance instead of being offered help by the teachers. 3) These students also understand that it is difficult for educators in public schools to cater to the needs of those with special needs/disabilities.

35. If you were a teacher in a mainstream tertiary institution, how would you conduct your classes?

36. Do your teachers show consideration for your disability? How? When?

37. Dimension 2: Staff preparation/awareness of diverse educational needs

38. What are some academic challenges you have faced throughout your tertiary education? Which of these challenges do you think are related to having a disability?

39. Tell us about a situation when you didn't feel included. Why? Tell us more about your relationship with your teachers.