Inclusion of people with disabilities in Singapore is a work in progress. There is no denying that much has been done, but we can certainly accomplish more. One way is to start with the young: integrating mandatory disability awareness education in schools. This is a goal that Nicholas Aw, President of the Disabled People’s Association, strives to achieve, setting his sights on the current 2012-2016 Enabling Masterplan.
Motivated by his personal experience
Nicholas has Tourette’s syndrome and has displayed symptoms since he was young. However, he found the name for his condition only when he was 27 years old. Although he had sought different opinions from medical professionals and spiritualists as a child, nobody could identify Nicholas’s condition. Finally, when he was 27, he met a doctor in London who informed him that what he has is in fact Tourette’s syndrome, and it is incurable. While it can be controlled by medication, there is no one-size-fits-all medication for every individual with Tourette’s. Each case is unique. Hence, different people require different kinds of medication, but it is equally hard to determine who needs what.
In Nicholas’s case, he has consulted several doctors and did his own research to come up with his own personalised set of medication. Doctors have also told him that there is “no new development” in the field of study for Tourette’s. Nicholas describes his growing up years as “painful.”
“My parents didn’t understand me and they thought I was possessed.”
His family, teachers, classmates, and strangers alike would make him feel ashamed of his condition by asking him to “stop it”, by making unkind remarks, or by mimicking his movements.
He could also feel his parents’ embarrassment whenever they went out as a family. Yet, they have never stopped being there for Nicholas and continued supporting him silently. They displayed a traditional parenting style – showing love primarily through actions rather than words. Back when his father was still alive, he would always give Nicholas a helping hand. As for his mother, Nicholas shares: “I’ll always be her son, so I guess she is protective, and she accepts that I have this condition. But she’ll just be there for me, so for that, I’m appreciative.”
It was a tough period for him, particularly in school, he admits. He did make friends in school, although he remembers some who avoided him because they thought he was “weird.” Nicholas’s friends told him that they “see past [his] condition,” but they have never inquired about it, and Nicholas finds that a pity. Their avoidance towards finding out about Nicholas’s condition has inflicted doubt in his mind about the integrity of their friendship.
While Nicholas acknowledges that his friends may mean well and be sensitive towards his feelings, hence choosing not to ask about his condition, he also strongly believes in living in a society that is educated about and aware of disabilities. Attitudes and behaviours in society are paramount in promoting an inclusive society. What they can do is to be more empathetic and polite, rather than passing quick judgments or mocking others.
The need for empathy and awareness
One main reason why Nicholas thinks people act in such harsh and unforgiving manners is due to “ignorance.” The advent of technology has certainly made it easier for people to do their own research and be more exposed to the field of disabilities and special needs, but it’s not enough. The general public has not been brought up in their homes or schools to be mindful of the disabled community. Thus, awareness is necessary so that parents and teachers can impart accurate knowledge onto the next generation of learners.
Nicholas understands that certain actions, like staring, is a natural reaction. “We’re all humans. We’re afraid of the unknown,” he explains. He knows that he is guilty of doing so himself. However, staring is not the real issue, according to Nicholas, but the subsequent negative reactions that follow.
He also recognises that each individual with disabilities have their own levels of comfort with regards to disclosing their conditions to others. Standing at the forefront of disability advocacy, Nicholas admits that he does continue feeling “afraid,” because he has still received much insensitive and unkind comments from others, particularly on social media. Thus, this is where conversations about inculcating disability awareness in mainstream schools come into play.
“If the country wants to subscribe to something like awareness for people with disabilities, we all [as citizens] have to be on the same page.”
To Nicholas’s knowledge, he understands that “schools have no fixed curriculum to teach disability awareness, and teachers often do not know where to start.” Although teachers do attend a theoretical module in special needs education during their course of study, it is not extensive enough for them to be fully prepared in the workforce. And that is one of the main challenges of incorporating disability awareness in schools. The lack of disability awareness education for teachers can also in turn “lead to inconsistent, or even detrimental, messages about what inclusion is being taught to students,” and therefore “end up being a negative experience for both the teacher and the student with special needs.”
Fighting for inclusion
It is also important for able-bodied children to mingle around children with disabilities so that they can eradicate preconceived misconceptions and internalise the message that all children have abilities and talents and deserve access to education and opportunities.
One measure that schools will currently implement in the remaining half of the year is an ongoing campaign on disability awareness. A realistic step to take in mainstream schools, as recommended by Nicholas, will be to offer specialised classrooms for those with severe disabilities. Special needs teachers’ salaries should also be the same as other teachers to encourage them to participate in this initiative. This small but effective step is a good start to promoting disability awareness in schools.
This way, education will include building character and personal development in addition to grades and academic success. Nicholas also envisions making Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) part of examinations so that children would be able to explore more in-depth intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships.
“I think if kids today are able to learn from a very young age that it is okay to be different, it is okay that a family has only one parent, it’s okay that we are all different religions, then I think it’ll be a good start for the school, and for kids to make it part of their DNA.”
Sending children to special needs schools should be the final measure only after everything else does not work out for the child. However, one concern is that these schools require huge financial capabilities, and not every family with disabilities is able to afford it. Nicholas also recognises the shortage of special schools in Singapore, and thus holds firm to his stance that “perhaps it’s good that [children with disabilities] by integrated to mainstream schools.”
Therefore, the government’s support for such an initiative is extremely important. Currently, Nicholas notes that the committee of the Enabling Masterplan has yet to make any progress with inclusivity in mainstream schools. Without the support of the government, obstacles like the lack of resources and training are difficult to overcome. Nicholas also proposes working with the government to support and protect the rights of those with disabilities. This can be done so by implementing practices like disability legislation, advocacy for non-discrimination, and imposing measures to ensure those with disabilities can efficiently use facilities that help them get around, such as elevators in shopping malls and in train stations.
Media also plays an important role in advocating inclusion. Mainstream media like TV could provide alternative ways for everyone to enjoy it, such as putting subtitles or sign language, the latter done in certain countries. The role of media is also essential in ensuring the same media coverage for inclusive arts and sports platforms. For instance, the ASEAN Para Games should be equally publicized like the ASEAN Games. Nicholas also believes that all players deserve recognition, regardless of whether they have won awards. “It’s very sad that we have talent among people with disabilities, but it’s not shown,” says Nicholas. Having media exposure also brings in higher sponsors to better reward talented people with disabilities. The portrayal of the disabled or special needs community in mainstream media is extremely significant because it conveys a message to the general public that these people and these types of events should be supported.
Together with disability awareness in schools, the power of media will be intensified as audiences will be able to approach such images in a different perspective – one that believes in the strengths of people with disabilities.
As for Nicholas, he continues making it his mission to advocate equal rights for the people with disabilities. His defining characteristic is perseverance – he will not stop striving for his goal as long as he has the energy to do so. His next step will also be to share what his condition is with his 4-year-old son. This is something that he has grappled with for a while now, and that is because “no one teaches you things like that. How do you expect a parent to teach their child about disability, when they don’t know how to deal with it?”
Schools have to power to ignite change, and all it takes is for one individual to spark this movement.
This article is a part of our #AbleFamilies campaign in Singapore. Stay tuned for real life stories, advice and experiences from people who believe in and represent the potential of all kids. By now empowering the thousands of kids with disabilities in Singapore and supporting their parents and caregivers, we strengthen the next generation of citizens to promote a more inclusive Singapore.