title: Toward vocational training for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Malaysia: Challenges, opportunities and reasonable hope

authors: Tang, Poh Thin

subjects: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

abstract: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (2004) noted that people with learning difficulties including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), face challenges when attempting to get a job after completing their secondary schooling. The number of young people with ASD has placed pressure on the public education system to provide pathways to access vocational training and to enter the workforce. Given this pressure, it is timely to identify what opportunities are available and what challenges young people face in accessing these pathways. This study examined vocational training for young people with ASD in the Malaysian context. It sought multiple perspectives from young people with ASD, their parents, school teachers and their NASOM (the National Autism Society of Malaysia) teachers. This wider perspective showed the extent of the challenges, not only for young people but also for families, teachers, schools, non- governmental organisations (NGOs) and potential employers.

A narrative inquiry methodology based on Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three dimensions of space, time and social interaction was chosen as the overarching theoretical orientation of the study. Research field texts were collected through semi-structured interviews. The field texts were analysed using a narrative case study approach. The analysis highlighted complexities for young people, families, teachers and potential employers, at this significant developmental time in young people’s lives. In the midst of opportunities and challenges, the study notes the significance of an orientation to hope. Weingarten’s (2010) construct and practice of reasonable hope has been critical in making sense of the research findings. Practices of care, persistence, courage, determination, commitment, carefully structured steps, scaffolding learning opportunities, consistent and small acts of reasonable hope were identified in each of the case studies.

The findings indicated that many factors need to be considered to implement vocational training programmes successfully. In particular, the community's involvement in working alongside parents to support young people with ASD into employment was important, as parents held hope that their children’s future would involve successful transition into some kind of work or further education. Teachers and families emphasised a need for mainstream and NASOM teachers to be equipped with current knowledge and skills, so they can help the students gain skills and knowledge offered in vocational training programmes and career transition programmes. The findings suggested that career transition programmes might be a vital prerequisite or bridging pathway for young people with ASD to find work or further their education in a vocational training programme. Financial resources emerged as a limitation to what schools could provide for students to help them bridge some of the challenges. However, despite the challenges and constraints identified in relation to vocational training, there was also evidence of opportunities available for young people with ASD to pursue future possibilities, including work. “Doing hope” by young people, families, teachers, community and policymakers provided the pathways for these opportunities to be materialised.

text: Toward vocational training for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Malaysia: Challenges, opportunities and reasonable hope The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (2004) noted that people with learning difficulties including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), face challenges when attempting to get a job after completing their secondary schooling. The number of young people with ASD has placed pressure on the public education system to provide pathways to access vocational training and to enter the workforce. Given this pressure, it is timely to identify what opportunities are available and what challenges young people face in accessing these pathways. This study examined vocational training for young people with ASD in the Malaysian context. It sought multiple perspectives from young people with ASD, their parents, school teachers and their NASOM (the National Autism Society of Malaysia) teachers. This wider perspective showed the extent of the challenges, not only for young people but also for families, teachers, schools, non- governmental organisations (NGOs) and potential employers.

A narrative inquiry methodology based on Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three dimensions of space, time and social interaction was chosen as the overarching theoretical orientation of the study. Research field texts were collected through semi-structured interviews. The field texts were analysed using a narrative case study approach. The analysis highlighted complexities for young people, families, teachers and potential employers, at this significant developmental time in young people’s lives. In the midst of opportunities and challenges, the study notes the significance of an orientation to hope. Weingarten’s (2010) construct and practice of reasonable hope has been critical in making sense of the research findings. Practices of care, persistence, courage, determination, commitment, carefully structured steps, scaffolding learning opportunities, consistent and small acts of reasonable hope were identified in each of the case studies.

The findings indicated that many factors need to be considered to implement vocational training programmes successfully. In particular, the community's involvement in working alongside parents to support young people with ASD into employment was important, as parents held hope that their children’s future would involve successful transition into some kind of work or further education. Teachers and families emphasised a need for mainstream and NASOM teachers to be equipped with current knowledge and skills, so they can help the students gain skills and knowledge offered in vocational training programmes and career transition programmes. The findings suggested that career transition programmes might be a vital prerequisite or bridging pathway for young people with ASD to find work or further their education in a vocational training programme. Financial resources emerged as a limitation to what schools could provide for students to help them bridge some of the challenges. However, despite the challenges and constraints identified in relation to vocational training, there was also evidence of opportunities available for young people with ASD to pursue future possibilities, including work. “Doing hope” by young people, families, teachers, community and policymakers provided the pathways for these opportunities to be materialised.

year: 2022

title: 'It's not necessary to have this board to learn English, but it's helpful': student and teacher perceptions of interactive whiteboard use

authors: Johnson, E. Marcia

subjects: interactive whiteboards

abstract: The use of interactive whiteboard (IWB) technology has great potential to invigorate not just language teaching, but any subject in which students and teachers interact with learning content, sound or video in the classroom; however, few research projects have examined and documented IWB implementation in tertiary-level Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) classrooms. In order to address gaps in existing CALL literature, this qualitative research project sought to capture and illuminate both students' and teachers' perspectives of what worked and what needed to be improved. In particular, we aimed to discover the types of changes that teachers made to their pedagogy and whether or not students' motivation and response to the CALL environment were affected, and in what ways. The research findings provided us with valuable insights into the types of personal transformations that both teachers and learners made within the IWB context and lead to a discussion in this paper of the mediation of praxis, affect and motivation. Implications of the findings for the conduct of future multimedia CALL research studies are also examined and discussed.

text: 'It's not necessary to have this board to learn English, but it's helpful': student and teacher perceptions of interactive whiteboard use The use of interactive whiteboard (IWB) technology has great potential to invigorate not just language teaching, but any subject in which students and teachers interact with learning content, sound or video in the classroom; however, few research projects have examined and documented IWB implementation in tertiary-level Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) classrooms. In order to address gaps in existing CALL literature, this qualitative research project sought to capture and illuminate both students' and teachers' perspectives of what worked and what needed to be improved. In particular, we aimed to discover the types of changes that teachers made to their pedagogy and whether or not students' motivation and response to the CALL environment were affected, and in what ways. The research findings provided us with valuable insights into the types of personal transformations that both teachers and learners made within the IWB context and lead to a discussion in this paper of the mediation of praxis, affect and motivation. Implications of the findings for the conduct of future multimedia CALL research studies are also examined and discussed.

year: 2010

title: Performing Femininity. Carmen - Good Ship Lollipop: A solo performance

authors: Fraser, Elroy

subjects: Performance

abstract: In the tradition of queer fringe theatre, Carmen - Good Ship Lollipop: a solo performance was written by a queer playwright, with a queer message for a queer audience.  The play was devised by drawing on Queer Theatre practice and methodology.
The following thesis details the process I undertook to create Carmen - Good Ship Lollipop: a solo performance. The story was created using biographical content already in the public arena. The play is about the public life of the late Carmen Rupe, New Zealand’s most famous transsexual. 
A historical perspective of men performing as women, or more fittingly, femininity performed by those other than female is presented by drawing on literature of this genre. The place of the solo performer and the combined roles of the actor, director, and producer are explored. Definitions of queer theatre and female impersonation are presented and issues of imitation, innovation and authenticity discussed.
The first methodology section details the choice of the particular playtext, the scriptwriting process, and dramaturgical analysis of Carmen – Good Ship Lollipop: a solo performance 
The second methodology section details the ‘script to stage’ production process. The development of the rehearsal script and the decision to limit the rehearsal period to one week is discussed. The plays evolution in terms of style and structure is presented.
The conclusion analyses the final product: to what extent Carmen - Good Ship Lollipop: a solo performance is faithful the Queer Theatre genre, successful as a performance piece, and reactive enough to be relevant. What further development could be applied in order to perform a future season.

text: Performing Femininity. Carmen - Good Ship Lollipop: A solo performance In the tradition of queer fringe theatre, Carmen - Good Ship Lollipop: a solo performance was written by a queer playwright, with a queer message for a queer audience.  The play was devised by drawing on Queer Theatre practice and methodology.
The following thesis details the process I undertook to create Carmen - Good Ship Lollipop: a solo performance. The story was created using biographical content already in the public arena. The play is about the public life of the late Carmen Rupe, New Zealand’s most famous transsexual. 
A historical perspective of men performing as women, or more fittingly, femininity performed by those other than female is presented by drawing on literature of this genre. The place of the solo performer and the combined roles of the actor, director, and producer are explored. Definitions of queer theatre and female impersonation are presented and issues of imitation, innovation and authenticity discussed.
The first methodology section details the choice of the particular playtext, the scriptwriting process, and dramaturgical analysis of Carmen – Good Ship Lollipop: a solo performance 
The second methodology section details the ‘script to stage’ production process. The development of the rehearsal script and the decision to limit the rehearsal period to one week is discussed. The plays evolution in terms of style and structure is presented.
The conclusion analyses the final product: to what extent Carmen - Good Ship Lollipop: a solo performance is faithful the Queer Theatre genre, successful as a performance piece, and reactive enough to be relevant. What further development could be applied in order to perform a future season.

year: 2013