Research projects and publications

Many countries keep official records of parliamentary debates. In the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Singapore, these transcriptions are referred to as Hansard, providing a rich resource for researchers exploring the historical and contextual background of governmental policy and legislation. This case study draws on the original doctoral thesis exploring the experiences and issues of concern of students with special educational needs and disabilities reflecting on their first year at university in Singapore. The historical background and recent developments were examined through data collection and analysis of historical and current local policy documents, parliamentary records, and information collated from university websites. Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were completed with participants recruited from five of the six publicly funded universities in Singapore. This case study focuses on conducting online research of parliamentary debates with the use of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to organize data and assist discourse analysis. 

Citation:
Carlisle, Damaris D. E. ''Contextualizing Historical Education Policy Formation Through the Use of Online Access to Parliamentary Debates: Managing Documentary Data.'' SAGE Research Methods: Doing Research Online Publication, edited by Martin Perchard, London, SAGE Publications, Ltd, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529600421.

While conducting research for my doctoral thesis entitled “Learners With Special Educational Needs Reflecting on Their First Year at University,”I explored the historical background, recent developments, and issues of concern for students with special educational needs and disabilities studying at university in Singapore. Documentary evidence included the collection of historical and present-day local policy documents, parliamentary debates taken from Hansard (the traditional name given to transcriptions of parliamentary debates), and information from university websites. This case study focuses on the use of reference management software (RMS) used to store and manage texts collected to provide background information, an overview of the literature, and historical data. Different from a reference generator, RMS allows the reader to search across their personal library as well as within documents, annotate, and take notes. The magic is the ability to create in-text citations and lists of references with a click of a button, while the reference style can be easily changed.

Citation:
Carlisle, Damaris D. E. ''Magical Reference Management Software.'' SAGE Research Methods: Doing Research Online, edited by Martin Perchard, London, SAGE Publications, Ltd., 2022, doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781529799026.

This case study draws on the original doctoral thesis entitled, “Learners With Special Educational Needs Reflecting on Their First Year at University.” The study of the historical background, recent developments, and issues of concern was a collective case study of special needs students studying at Singapore universities. Data collection comprised historical and current local policy documents, parliamentary records collected from Hansard (the traditional name given to transcriptions of parliamentary debates), the information collated from university websites, and semi-structured interviews with 26 participants recruited from five of the six public universities in Singapore. This article focuses on the ways in which digital technologies were used to modify the initial research design and handle the collection of interview data gathered in this research. Some adaptations were a result of COVID-19 constraints applied in Singapore, although all semi-structured interview data were collected before lockdowns started.

Citation:
Carlisle, Damaris D. E. ''Using Social Media Platforms and Apps for Recruiting Participants and Conducting Interviews.'' SAGE Research Methods: Doing Research Online, edited by Martin Perchard, London, SAGE Publications, Ltd. , 2022, doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781529798906.

Quality education and lifelong learning is highly valued in Singapore. With improved disability support for learners with special educational needs and disabilities, increasing numbers complete their secondary schooling and wish to continue into post-secondary education. Countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) have a more extended history of legislation to protect the rights of people with disabilities, inclusive education at tertiary level and a more extensive research base. In contrast, limited research has been conducted in this field in Singapore. This article explores the historical background to education policy, and the interpretation of these policies for the education and support of learners with disabilities at publicly funded universities in Singapore. Data collection comprised historical and current local policy documents, parliamentary records collected from Hansard, and information collated from university websites. Criterion sampling methods were used to collect documents to focus on shifts in education policy over time. Gateway webpages relevant to disability support offered to students were gathered from university websites in Singapore to gain an understanding of the interpretation of education policy. Findings reveal the Singapore government’s historical reluctance to be directly involved in the provision of educational assistance for people with disabilities. Whilst there have been changes over the last two decades and disability support is gradually improving, information on university websites remains inconsistent, meagre and could even be considered invisible. University websites need to provide more in-depth information to encompass a range of special educational needs and disabilities. There is also a need to collect data to ensure policy and support are appropriate to student needs.

Citation:
Carlisle, Damaris D. E. ''Disability Support for Students with Special Educational Needs at Institutes of Higher Learning in Singapore: A Historical Perspective to Developments in Education Policy.'' Disability and the Global South, vol. 9, no. 1, 2022, pp. 2130-2151, ISBN / ISSN: 2050-7364.