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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined as a lifetime developmental disorder usually identified by social interaction impairment, communication deficits, and repetitive behavior. The cases of children detected with ASD are rising globally, including Malaysia. Parents, as the prime caregiver to these children, face numerous challenges due to what is entailed in taking care of their children. This paper describes a case study where we examined the views and experience of three mothers, each of whom has an ASD child. Data were gathered through face-to-face semi-structured interviews, after which they were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. The mothers narrated that the challenges they encountered include the difficulty they had in initially accepting their child's diagnosis; labelling and discrimination; phase-based temporal challenges; endless physical, emotional, and mental sacrifices; finding the strength and patience to deal with the situation; academic vs. non-academic struggles, as well as their own coping mechanisms. This paper concludes with the need to provide support for parents-especially mothers-to enable them to overcome their challenges and focus on the development of their autistic children.

This paper reported the quality of life (QoL) of 260 Malaysian parents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and factors which influencing it. About half of these parents reported to having good QoL. The factors identified in the double ABCX model showed that perceived social support and sense of coherence (SOC) were mediated by coping strategies and had a positive direct and indirect effect on parents' QoL. These findings reiterate the importance of social support, coping skills, and strong SOC reflection skills in influencing the QoL of parents with ASD child. We therefore suggest parents to utilize the widely available social and organization supports to gain good QoL, which is also important for the wellbeing of their child.

Home education is a phenomenon that has been increasing globally over the past decade, particularly for families of children with special educational needs or disabilities. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this phenomenon with many families continuing to home educate even after their children can officially return to school. This paper reports on a small-scale design-based research project that explored the needs of families who are home educating children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Working in partnership with educational settings, practitioners, and families during the second year of the pandemic, academic researchers in Malaysia and England designed, implemented and evaluated a home learning pack for children with ASD aged 6–12 years old. The findings emphasised the role of economic, social and cultural capital for the families involved and how this impacted their ability to work and educate their children successfully. This raises crucial questions in relation to the place of home education within the wider international inclusive education debate and matters of social equality whilst also highlighting key questions for future research in this field on how policy and provision might develop to meet a growing diversity of need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) classified autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by difficulties with socialisation and communication, and with restricted interests and repetitive behaviour. The wide range of symptom types and severity of the disorder in children with ASD can range from the need for support to the need for substantial support, and sometimes even very substantial support. This paper examines an augmented reality toy application, AR Toys, which supports social communication of children with ASD, and reports on how the application was used in school classrooms. Method: AR Toys was evaluated by seven children in an Autism Centre in Melaka, Malaysia. The analysis focused entirely on observation of the interactions between children and teachers at the school. Results: It was found that AR Toys were able to: (1) motivate children with ASD on adaptive language; (2) model expressive language to identify a child's emotion; and (3) promote pretend play on learning emotion in classroom activities. This gives children with ASD more opportunities to communicate among peers and interact with teachers at school. Conclusion: Human Computer Interaction (HCI) research using AR technologies shows positive feedback in supporting children with ASD in recognising emotions that facilitate their social communication development, leading to better understanding, communication and engagement between teachers and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Effective parent-teacher partnerships improve outcomes for autistic students. Yet, we know little about what effective partnerships look like for parents of autistic children from different backgrounds. We conducted interviews with 17 Chinese parents of autistic children attending Australian kindergartens/schools to understand their experiences. Parents appreciated the acceptance, opportunities and supports they received in Australia. They had high expectations of children; expectations not often shared by educators. Parents were respectful of teachers' expertise and polite and undemanding in interactions. Nevertheless, parents were frustrated by inconsistent teaching quality and inadequate communication. Navigating systems was also challenging and parents faced discrimination from teachers and their community. Recommendations include fostering open home-school communication, proactively seeking parents' expertise about children and explicitly scaffolding parents' self-advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sibling relationships remain understudied in typically developing adolescents who have siblings with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study explored the lived experiences and perceptions of adolescents who have a brother or a sister with a diagnosis of ASD using semi-structured interviews. Using thematic analysis, the participants reported having difficulties communicating with their siblings. Feeling a mixture of emotions was common when interacting with their siblings with ASD and emotional self-regulation was a typical coping strategy utilized by these adolescents. Despite the challenges, having a sibling with ASD led to closer relationships between the siblings. These findings offer insights into these adolescents' needs and how they may be best supported, informing the practice of speech-language pathology and other health professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research attempts to construct a picture of the current professional situation concerning educators in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) amelioration in Sarawak, Malaysia. Data was collected through interviewing ASD educators from licenced special needs education establishments, then analysed for recurring trends. Findings revealed that although there is a visible need for educators, there appears to be very little in the way of guidelines, recognition, support, and career opportunities for these practitioners. Backing from a literature review suggests that an industry standard in terms of remuneration, certification, and a regulatory body may assist with educator retention and training. However, difficulty in securing opportunities for professional self-improvement in this field has resulted in unique and divergent educator development, demonstrated by a history of self-reliance and adaptability as service providers due to necessity. This study examines the gaps in service for ASD individuals through the experiences of ASD educators in Sarawak. It highlights the distinct need for more research in the field for this locality in order to pinpoint and amend its weaknesses. Further study would be valuable for not only the developing urban areas here, but due to shared cultural aspects, also have implications for rural areas and surrounding developing nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]