Strengthening Civil Rights and Civic Duties in the Democracy on Election for ASD people with ASDemoc

Sita Yiemkuntitavorn,

King Prajadhipok’s Institute, sita_1383@hotmail.com

Abstract

Voting is a fundamental right for all citizen but there are some groups of people who are not compulsory taught about rights and duties to vote in an election, One of the groups is people with Autism. The objectives of this study were 1) to develop the“ASDemocracy” toolkit on Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election, 2) to use the“ASDemocracy” toolkit to encourage people with autism to realize their Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election as a Thai citizen, and 3) to apply the“ASDemocracy” toolkit to help them go through the simulation of election processes without making any mistakes or breaking the law. The samples of this study were 5 experts on learning media for people with Autism, democracy and, Autism; and 10 people with ASD studying in a school for students with mental disorders in Bangkok who were 15-35 years old. Both groups were selected by purposive sampling. The tools used in this study were one interview form for people with ASD, three interview form for experts and the parallel tests.

The results of the study were 1) the ASDemocracy toolkit was developed, it was consisted of flash cards, motion graphic and music video along with a teachers ‘handbook, pretest, posttest on election, and it was considered appropriate by 5 experts 2) people with autism realized their own Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election, the learning achievement was higher than before using the toolkit, and 3) people with autism could be able to go through the simulation of election processes without breaking the law after using the toolkit. Besides the results according to the objectives of the study, the researchers noticeably found that people with autism were very satisfied learning with the learning tools the researchers made. They could still remember the content and music along with the gestures quite well even though the teaching processes has ended. Therefore, teachers can be able to use this toolkit to encourage people with autism to realize their Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election and use this toolkits to help them going through the simulation of election processes. Moreover, teachers can apply toolkits to teach about the election in schools for people with autism and elementary education.

Keywords: People with Autism, Toolkit, Civil Rights and Civic Duties in the Democracy, Election

1. Introduction

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are a citizen; so they have the same civil rights and responsibilities as other adults to be part of the community, participate in education, work and to access the services they need, they also have the civic duties to do as other citizens. The question to concern is that “do they realize their civic rights and civic duties they have?

One of the rights and duties they have is “to vote” in a general election. In other words, all citizens at the age of 18 obtain the legal right to vote, including those on the autism spectrum. Interestingly, there are 370,000 people with ASD in Thailand but we have no idea whether they all go to the poll. People with ASD who never voted by themselves before might not aware of their rights and duties and had no idea how to go through the election processes without breaking the laws. There were a lot of information in terms of working out why they need to vote, who to vote for where they need to be at what time. Parents and teachers have to educate them; however, people with ASD may have different educational needs that need to be met to allow them to develop their full potential. They need to have someone to repeat and explain so that they can process it; nevertheless, as Saggers (2016) stated that students with autism often present unique challenges to schools, and teachers can often find it difficult to meet their needs effectively.

Talking about ‘Learning styles’, normally people can learn through seeing (visually), hearing (auditorily), and/or through touching or manipulating an object (kinesthetically or ‘hands-on’ learning) (Stephen, 2019). People with ASD often have difficulties in recognizing, understanding and expressing their emotions; nevertheless, people with ASD are often strong in visual learning as Grandin (1995), an autistic author, stated that people with ASD are a visual learner. “They think in pictures. Words are like a second language.” In other words, they are able to process visual information better than information that is purely in auditory form. Sarah Omar, Azman Bidin, (2015) stated that autistic learner are visual they can decode colored before language. Autism children are more looking to the colored than the shapes, colors such as yellow, blue and green or color overlay are used in cognitive theory of multimedia which has been proven to be effective in improving reading and attention accuracy. Therefore, to teach people with ASD, we have to apply the form of pictures, icons (black and white cartoon like images), photographs or gestures to enhance the understanding of spoken word/s communicating an idea. The use of visual systems can strengthen the child’s understanding of the communication in his or her environment (Peeters 1997; Quill 1997).

However, there were some research stated that it was unnecessary that people with ASD were visual learners. Stephen, (2019) stated that if one is not sure which learning style a child has or is teaching to a group with different learning styles, then the best way to teach could be to use all three styles together. For example, when teaching the concept ‘jello,’ one can display a package and bowl of jello (visual); describe its features such as its color, texture, and use (auditory); and then let the person touch and taste it (kinesthetic).

Hence, in this study the researchers used the visual strategies as the main approach to teach students with ASD to realize their civil rights and civic duties, learn the basic knowledge of a general election and make them go to the election poll by themselves. However, the researchers also used auditory learning and kinesthetic learning approach along with visual learning approach to develop the media in the study. The researchers developed three learning tools which were flashcards (visual) on civil rights and civic duties, motion graphic (visual + auditory) on basic knowledge of a general election and a music video (visual + auditory + kinesthetic) on the election processes. At the end the researchers used the simulation on election processes (kinesthetic) to practice and test them.

To develop the learning tools, the researchers applied ADDIE model which is the generic process traditionally used by instructional designers and training developers to design them systematically; so the researchers had guideline to design the learning tool. There are five phases—Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation in the model. The five phrases will be explained in the research procedure.

2. Objectives of the study

1) To develop the“ASDemocracy” toolkit on Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election

2) To use the“ASDemocracy” toolkit to encourage people with autism to realize their Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election as a Thai citizen.

3) To apply the“ASDemocracy” toolkit to help them go through the simulation of election processes without making any mistakes or breaking the law.

3. Research Method

3.1 Research design

This study was a mixed methods research. An experimental design with a one factor pre-test

and post-test control group was used.

3.2 Participants of the research

The sample for the efficiency testing consisted of 5 experts on learning media for people with Autism, democracy and, Autism and 10 people with autism in a school in Bangkok and its vicinity, obtained by purposive sampling. They were 15-35 years old and have a medical certification on Autistic disability. They must be able to communicate and would like to participate in activities.

3.3 Research Procedure

3.3.1 Analysis Phrase

In the analysis phase, the problems about ASD and the general election were clarified, the instructional objectives were established and the learning environment and learner’s existing knowledge and skills were identified. The researcher also studied the audience in the study along with their characteristics to help designing the learning tools. Therefore, in this phrase the researchers studied text and researched, then interviewed 5 experts using the interview forms as follows:

Interview form No.1 asking 1 expert about Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election and the general election processes.

Interview form No.2 asking 2 experts about teaching and learning especially the appropriate learning tools for ASD people

Interview form No.3 asking 2 experts about people with ASD and learning style.

Then the researchers interviewed people with ASD who were the participants in the study using the interview form asking their personal details and activities they liked.

3.3.2 Design phrase

The researchers create storyboards about learning tools and assessment instruments according to the objectives and how to deliver them to the participants. The researcher also set the timelines to use each tool.

3.3.3 Development phrase

The researchers developed the “ASDemocracy” toolkits which consisted of a teacher handbook and 3 learning tools; flashcards, motion graphic and music video. The researchers developed pretest and posttest as parallel tests. Finally in the phrase, the researchers discussed with the experts about the toolkits and the teacher handbook. Then the researcher adjusted the handbook, the toolkit and parallel tests. Finally in this stage, the researchers used the research tools with people with ASD who were not the participants in the study and adjusted them once again.

3.3.4 Implementation phrase

The researchers used the research tools with the participants of the study in the following steps;

1) The participants took the pretest.

2) The participants were taught with Module 1: flashcards on Civil Rights and Civic Duties for 1 week.

3) The participants were taught with Module 2: motion graphic on the basic knowledge of an election. It includes a dictionary of voting terms, what to expect at the polling place, and questions that many on the spectrum may ask. Module 2 was taught for 1 week.

4) The participants were taught with Module 3: music video on the election processes for 1 week.

3.3.5 Evaluation phrase

The researcher used election simulation processes to test people with ASD. However before using the election simulation, the researchers practiced all participants for 1 week by reviewing the vocabulary term, singing the song they had learnt and going through the election simulation. Then, the participants took the posttest. The researchers collected and analyzed all data.

4. Findings and discussion

1. After interviewing and studying the problems along with the details on people with ASD and the document on civil right and general election, the researchers could develop three learning tools as follows;

Module 1: flashcards on Civil Rights and Civic Duties.

Module 2: motion graphic on the basic knowledge of an election.

Module 3: music video on the election processes.

These 3 modules were certified with the experts and the advisors. They were concerning on the appropriateness for people with ASD and the accuracy of the general election. The researchers had to check the size, colours, words and pictures carefully as they were needed to clear and systematic with clear communication supported where appropriate by visual materials.​

2. After using the ASDemocracy toolkit, the learning achievement of people with ASD was significantly higher than the pretest. The pretest average score was 4 and the posttest was 8.25. The researchers also interviewed the participants about Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election as a Thai citizen. They all could be able to answer all questions. They could explain the fundamental of an election and tell the researchers about how important of an election. People with Autism who were 18 and above insisted to go the next election.

Since Hodgdon (1999) concluded that students on the autistic spectrum don’t understand their world very well, ‘they tend to be visual learners living in a very auditory world.’ The use of visual strategies can help rectify the situation and make better sense of the world around them.

Although people with ASD are better to learn with their eyes, but it doesn’t mean that we have to teach them by using only visual strategies approach, it also needs to be borne in mind that people with ASD might not have one preferred learning style. Besides visual strategies as the main approach to develop media in this study, the researchers apply three learning styles; visual, auditory and kinesthetic in the study as well; so people with ASD can learn through seeing (visually), hearing (auditorily), and/or through touching or manipulating an object (kinesthetically or ‘hands-on’ learning), as an example of Stephen (2019) she stated in her article that, looking at a picture book or reading a textbook involves learning through vision; listening to a lecture live or on tape involves learning through hearing; and pressing buttons to determine how to operate a VCR involves learning kinesthetically.

Therefore, after using the toolkit for a while people with Autism learned the importance of an election and learned about Civil Rights and Civic Duties on election as a Thai citizen. From the observation of their teachers and the researchers, people with Autism had lots of fun learning with the toolkits, they came to class every day without hesitation and paid attention to all activities.

1. After using the toolkits, the participants could be able to explain the election processes very well, they could also be able to tell if their teachers and the researchers did some errors going through the election processes simulation. Later they could be able to go through the election simulation processes without breaking the laws. This is because the researcher used simulation along with the toolkits which were music video or the video modeling to be the model for those people. As many practitioners are recognizing the value in using video modeling and structured. Teaching as a means to develop both life and social skills (Franzone & Collet-Klingenberg, 2008).

5. Conclusion

Being in a minority group doesn’t make them be forgotten. Encouraging those on the autism spectrum to vote is one of our duties as a Thai citizen. Without their vote, who will represent the autism community and advocate for their rights and needs in the future? For us, teaching individuals to vote was important and worthwhile and the instructional materials could be prepared for them to learn. It is not only the duty of teachers or parents to look after them, but it is also the duty of people in the community to help, especially in the nation matter like the general election.

6. Limitation of the study

As Zander (2004) concluded that the level of seriousness in autistic children varies from one individual to another in terms of intelligence and learning ability; therefore the study period of each Autism people might be different. Moreover to teach who to vote for is the next step for parents and teachers to explain continually to make them have a critical thinking.

7. References

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Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Waisman Center,

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intervention. San Diego, CA, Singular Pub. Group.

Peeters, T. (1997). Autism: From theoretical understanding to educational

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randin, T. (1995). Thinking in Pictures : And other reports from my life with

autism. New York, Doubleday.

Grandin, T. (1995). Thinking in Pictures : And other reports from my life with autism. New

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Hodgdon, L. (1999). Solving Behavior Problems in Autism: Improving

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7. Acknowledgements

This study was a part of ASDemocrazy project of Certificate Courses on Youth Leader Training of King Prajadhipok’s Institute’s students. There were 12 people doing the project which were:

Sita Yiekuntitavorn, Benjawan Vivattanawongsiri, Jarungjit Rujiviphat, Ornchulee Wisitthadakul, Tossapol Monaraks, Kittinee Jaggabatara, Ratsarin Ratsirajirakul, Pundit Rattanasirisub, Sila Tantrakul, Tanaprach Kongpan, Juckawan Suksupolsiri and Suthatip Boonyakiat. We also would like to thank the advisor, Dr. Thawinwadee Burikul, and 5 experts assisting with the ASD data and supporting this project.