industry & research
campusreview.com.au
A good example is software testing,
which requires someone that has
tremendous focus and an ability to tend to
details. These are precisely the strengths
of people with autism, and this is a great
match with the software testing industry.
There are jobs out there, and our academy
looks at how we can [take young people
with autism from high school] to the point
where they are able to be employed by
these multinational companies.
You looked at what the components of
a good strength-based program in this
field would look like, and you found
some evidence across three categories:
facilitators, activities and the environment.
What are the main ideas in each category?
There are many strength-based programs
around – we run one, and Autism West
here in WA runs a similar special interest
group, and so do some companies that
run weekend or school holiday programs.
We conducted this research to look at
what the active mechanisms embedded
within this particular program are.
Those mechanisms can be categorised
into facilitators, where we talk about
cultures and volunteer mentors
helping the program, and also activities
and environment.
For example, one of the mechanisms
is that facilitators or mentors must have
a shared interest with the students taking
part in the program – a shared interest in
video games – and must use that interest
to devise techniques for the students
to learn coding and programming.
There are other mechanisms, like there
must be some kind of individual and
collaborative approach in engaging in
the learning process of the students. It’s
an enforcing environment, and a very
cohesive one as well. The learning is very
individualised, so the facilitators must
understand what the individual students
would like to do for that particular week
or over a longer period of time. They will
tailor-make pragmatic learning pathways
for them to achieve this.
We also find that facilitators must be
flexible as well and be able to adapt
and be agile in their teaching and in the
learning process of the student.
We did find certain other things about
the activity as well. For example, the activity
must have some interest for the student.
We have activities that are broad ranging,
not just programming. We introduced
LEGO robotics. We have a social robot that
they can program, and we also introduced
electronics. This space is called Internet
of Things.
All these activities will hopefully lead to
skill development by the student as well,
and also helps in establishing some learning
outcomes when they are at school. We are
quite keen for students to have a different
outlook – not just looking at the curriculum
at schools, but things that can augment
their learning.
So, attending the coding club, there
are different strategies for them to learn
in coding and engineering. We want to
be able to develop a special skillset. In the
future, they might think this is an area they
wish to go to, and in their higher school
age, they can then decide on what specific
subjects they should take in high school,
leading to vocational education or even
university.
How are these programs implemented, and
at what age can children start?
We start as young as Year 7, so 12 years
old, and they’ll stay in the coding club until
they're 18, so right after Year 12. We find that
the critical age is around Year 10, because
that’s when they have to decide on their
education pathway in Years 11 and 12.
Having this background understanding
of what they are interested in may prepare
them for making better choices in the
subjects they pick for these years.
For example, if a child likes to do
electronics, he might do an engineering
ATAR course. There are lots of individuals
who do computer science courses as
well, because they found that they were
passionate about programming and coding
while doing our coding program.
So, the idea is for them to make some
important choices that will help get
them into their planned pathways after
high school.
Are these part of regular school employment
programs or are they extracurricular? Do
only certain schools provide them?
Some are extracurricular. If they choose
to go into work experience, which is
ordered by the school, we help to place
some of our members into industry for
very short‑term work experience, or
work‑shadowing kinds of activity, over the
school holidays.
It’s a mix of having support that gets
them into the curriculum in schools and
at the same time, support that gives them
extracurricular motivation.
Can you talk about some of the success
stories that you’ve seen as a result of this
program?
One of the members who joined us when
we first began two-and-a-half-years ago,
when he was in Year 10 – he graduated
from high school last year – didn't have
the full suite of ATAR subjects to get into
university. So, he took two ATAR subjects
and we supported him through this coding
program. At the same time, we challenged
him to take up a software testing
certification through the International
Software Testing Qualifications Board,
which he passed brilliantly.
Then he applied to university with his two
ATAR subjects and all of these supporting
artefacts. We were quite happy that he was
accepted to Curtin earlier this year into
a Bachelor of Science and Information
Technology. He’s a great success story –
now parents and students know there is an
alternate pathway into uni without having to
take up the full suite of ATAR subjects.
Is this program available in other states?
It’s currently only in WA. We’ve piloted it
over the past two and a half years, and
we are very interested to work with other
Large corporates like
Microsoft now understand the
benefit of employing people
on the autism spectrum, or
even people with neurodiverse
backgrounds, in tasks that
draw on the strengths of these
individuals.
universities and tertiary organisations, to
lend our experience and hopefully set up
similar programs and academic networks
around Australia.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I'd like to encourage all the organisations
out there to support this fantastic
movement. We're here to help and to
advise organisations on how to implement
strength-based programs in their cities or
within their organisations. ■
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