Some special ed schools taking in more kids with autism

Minds, Rainbow Centre adapt curriculum in response to changing student profile

- Shermaine Ang

Some special education schools that have traditionally served children with conditions like intellectual disability are taking in more students with autism.

At least 70 per cent of students under Minds and Rainbow Centre, which together serve about 1,900 individuals with special needs across the seven schools they run in total, have autism.

The organisations said they have seen a change in the profile of students, with rising numbers of children diagnosed with autism and fewer with other needs such as multiple disabilities.

There are currently 25 special education schools for children aged seven to 18 in Singapore, with three more to be set up by 2032 to cater to those with autism.

Minds, which previously catered solely to people with intellectual disability, saw a 60 per cent increase in enrolment of children with autism, compared with 2022.

Close to 700 out of over 1,000 students across the four schools the organisation runs have both autism and intellectual disability.

Intellectual disability is characterised by difficulties in problem-solving, abstract thinking and planning, whereas autism is defined mainly by having issues with social interaction and communication, and repetitive behaviour.

People with autism also have heightened sensitivity to sound and light and tend to be fixated on certain things.

Rainbow Centre's Margaret Drive School and Yishun Park School have been taking in a larger proportion of students with autism compared with those with multiple disabilities.

Around 70 per cent of students at the two schools have autism, while the other 30 per cent have multiple disabilities, defined as having at least two impairments across a range of sensory, cognitive and physical functions.

Individuals with multiple disabilities may also have accompanying medical issues.