SINGAPORE - Although steps have been taken in recent years to make training courses more inclusive, disability agencies say more can be done as people with disabilities still face barriers and limited options for training.

The topic of learning and skills training was pushed into the spotlight after Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced during Budget 2024 that all Singaporeans aged 40 and above will be given a $4,000 top-up of SkillsFuture credits.

The credits can be used for courses. There are currently more than 30,000 training courses on SkillsFuture Singapore’s (SSG) portal.

People with disabilities can take courses from the catalogue funded by SSG, but options may be limited, disability groups told ST.

In 2023, there were 50 SSG-funded courses customised for people with disabilities, in areas like food and beverage, administration, and hotel and accommodation. This was up from 10 in 2014.

One major move to ensure people with disabilities have better access to learning opportunities was the launch in 2022 of the Enabling Academy, which offers courses targeted specifically at the group.

The academy is run by SG Enable, which has made available more than 760 training courses for people with disabilities since it was set up in 2013.

While the academy’s effort is notable, those with disabilities should have better access to the wider SkillsFuture system, said a spokesman for the Disabled People’s Association (DPA).

A misconception exists that considerable resources are needed to tailor or modify courses to accommodate this group, which may be why some training providers are hesitant to take the step, said Mr Abhimanyau Pal, chief executive of disability agency SPD.

Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing told Parliament in April that since 2014, eight training providers have drawn on SG Enable’s Capability Development Grant. Five of these training providers are in the disability or social sector, while three are from other sectors.

The grant supports training providers in making course modifications to be more accommodating towards learners with disabilities, such as providing closed captions for visual materials, or ensuring text is compatible with assistive technology used by the visually impaired, like screen readers that convert text to speech.

Hospitality school Shatec tapped the grant in 2017 to improve inclusivity and accessibility for its courses.

The organisation found that its text-heavy course materials posed challenges for learners with disabilities.

Shatec incorporated visual aids and simplified the writing throughout its materials. Font size was increased and layouts simplified to make pages easier to look at.

Online resources show that choice of font, font size, and spacing between letters can make typography more readable to those with disabilities.

The organisation also implemented development programmes for the faculty focused on inclusive teaching practices and accessibility awareness to better support students with disabilities.

A spokesman for Shatec said: “By removing barriers to education for persons with disabilities, we contribute to the development of a diverse and talented workforce in the hospitality and culinary industries.”

Mr Pal said one reason course providers may be hesitant to tap grants that support them in this area could be the lack of trainers who are experienced in engaging people with disabilities, or have the expertise to design, modify or deliver training curriculum that would accommodate learners with disabilities.

Course providers may also hesitate to conduct courses that include learners with disabilities when the grants are tagged to placement outcomes, he added.

In such scenarios, course providers are contractually obligated to ensure that an agreed percentage of participants secures gainful employment in a specified period after completing the course.

“This is a major concern as many course providers may not be in a position to ensure this, nor have a network of employers who they could partner for inclusive hiring. This could potentially affect their reputation and future applications for grants if they are unable to meet their obligations,” said Mr Pal.

Challenges faced by those with disabilities when looking to upskill

Information and communication barriers exist when learners with disabilities are unable to use course materials or presentations because they have not been made accessible, Mr Pal said.

“For instance, learners who are hard of hearing or have vision loss may benefit from speech-to-text or text-to-speech software, respectively. However, the material must be in a format supported by the software.”

He added: “The presence of such barriers could potentially exclude such learners from active participation and engagement in class.”

DPA’s spokesman said learners with disabilities have brought up the fact that many images and graphics used in courses, like charts and diagrams, have no image descriptions.

This poses a very significant barrier for visually impaired individuals who rely full-time on screen reader software, he added.

Mr Pal said there may also be physical barriers – for instance, when training facilities are not physically accessible to people with disabilities.

Buildings may not have entry ramps, or classrooms may not have enough space for wheelchair users. Some office furniture may also be unsuitable for wheelchair users, he added.

Other challenges faced by learners with disabilities include barriers posed by attitudes, both organisations said.

Mr Pal said some participants enrolled in mainstream courses may require more time to understand or receive information. This could lead to frustrations on the part of other participants, he added.

DPA’s spokesman added that some training providers may be unwilling to repeat instructions to neurodivergent adult learners who request elaboration.

DPA has also heard of training providers who deny learners with disabilities a chance to take their courses simply because they have not had such learners in their courses before and do not know how to accommodate them, despite the learners providing suggestions and being willing to guide the trainers on how to do so. 

“We are simply not an inclusive society if we just cater to the majority,” the spokesman said.

Mr Pal added: “Many Singaporeans have been supported in their cycle of learning, unlearning and relearning. Persons with disabilities must also have equal access to opportunities for continuous and lifelong learning.”