98
M. K. Puteri Zarina et al.
challenges are such as problems in understanding and responding to instructions,
depression due to amplified self-reliance, unstructured planning and problems in
completing academic tasks or assignments. In addition, another challenge also manifests in the form of a mismatch between the profiles of the disabilities with the TVET
course components. Most of the TVET programmes all over the world still heavily
blend knowledge of vocational skills and formal education. This has led to the failure
of the autistic learners in satisfying the requirements of the TVET courses [26]. Cai
and Richdale also found that although post-secondary autistic students felt that they
were supported academically, they were left rather unattended to socially. This may
have been attributed to some educators feeling inadequate to provide support service
assistance to the students with ASD [27]. However, this should not be so as although
the staff may feel incompetent in their skills to handle the requests for assistance,
they are the rightful ones to help the ASD students [28].
An inclusive education system necessitates educational institutions to modify
their practices and approaches to inclusion requires schools to change their practices
to address the varied learning needs of all types of students which include those
with disabilities. This is more appropriate than to expect the students adapt to the
education system. On the contrary, a special school setting provides education to
students with disabilities in a totally separate environment. This special arrangement
is made with the assumption that these students are suggestively different from the
abled-bodied. With this rather baseless assumption, the disabled students are thus
being placed in a special social and educational setting [29].
All these barriers pose acute challenges to the successful implementation of postsecondary platforms for our autistic students. All relevant parties need to work
together in making sure that the autistic group be given the appropriate scaffolding
for their own sustainability.
10.4 Relevance of TVET for the Autistics in Malaysia
There is a pressing need for Malaysia to address the marginalisation of disabled
people in the human capital sector, and to take necessary measures to reduce the
significant social and economic impact on individuals and communities. This process
constitutes the conscious effort to make TVET and skills systems as disabilityinclusive if greater opportunities are to be provided to the autistics to develop
their skills and qualifications, which are relevant to the local, regional and national
labour markets. Abdullah (2013) highlights the initiative by the Malaysian Education Ministry through an augmented framework for disabled learners right from
the primary to the tertiary level of education [30]. Job-related skills and positive
psychological characteristics are the two critical skills that determine the employability of disabled people, employed and unemployed. Empowering our disabled
community with the employability skills and psychological support is thus crucial
[31]. With these features in mind, it is crucial that proper planning and transition
schemes for employment be prepared for these students. Students with disabilities
M. K. Puteri Zarina et al.
challenges are such as problems in understanding and responding to instructions,
depression due to amplified self-reliance, unstructured planning and problems in
completing academic tasks or assignments. In addition, another challenge also manifests in the form of a mismatch between the profiles of the disabilities with the TVET
course components. Most of the TVET programmes all over the world still heavily
blend knowledge of vocational skills and formal education. This has led to the failure
of the autistic learners in satisfying the requirements of the TVET courses [26]. Cai
and Richdale also found that although post-secondary autistic students felt that they
were supported academically, they were left rather unattended to socially. This may
have been attributed to some educators feeling inadequate to provide support service
assistance to the students with ASD [27]. However, this should not be so as although
the staff may feel incompetent in their skills to handle the requests for assistance,
they are the rightful ones to help the ASD students [28].
An inclusive education system necessitates educational institutions to modify
their practices and approaches to inclusion requires schools to change their practices
to address the varied learning needs of all types of students which include those
with disabilities. This is more appropriate than to expect the students adapt to the
education system. On the contrary, a special school setting provides education to
students with disabilities in a totally separate environment. This special arrangement
is made with the assumption that these students are suggestively different from the
abled-bodied. With this rather baseless assumption, the disabled students are thus
being placed in a special social and educational setting [29].
All these barriers pose acute challenges to the successful implementation of postsecondary platforms for our autistic students. All relevant parties need to work
together in making sure that the autistic group be given the appropriate scaffolding
for their own sustainability.
10.4 Relevance of TVET for the Autistics in Malaysia
There is a pressing need for Malaysia to address the marginalisation of disabled
people in the human capital sector, and to take necessary measures to reduce the
significant social and economic impact on individuals and communities. This process
constitutes the conscious effort to make TVET and skills systems as disabilityinclusive if greater opportunities are to be provided to the autistics to develop
their skills and qualifications, which are relevant to the local, regional and national
labour markets. Abdullah (2013) highlights the initiative by the Malaysian Education Ministry through an augmented framework for disabled learners right from
the primary to the tertiary level of education [30]. Job-related skills and positive
psychological characteristics are the two critical skills that determine the employability of disabled people, employed and unemployed. Empowering our disabled
community with the employability skills and psychological support is thus crucial
[31]. With these features in mind, it is crucial that proper planning and transition
schemes for employment be prepared for these students. Students with disabilities