Singapore and autism spectrum disorder

摘要: Singapore is a young island city-state in Southeast Asia with a diverse population of approximately 5.7 million (https://www. singstat. gov. sg/modules/infographics/population). Ethnic Chinese constitute approximately 76% of the residents, followed by ethnic Malays (13.6%), Indians (9.4%), and others (3.4%). Its relatively brief history as an independent state has been characterized by considerable economical and capital growth, four official languages (English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil; English is the official language of business, administration, and school instruction), an internationally strong and competitive educational system, as well as governmental and community visions of Singapore as an inclusive society (Lee 2004). It is within this context that this paper seeks to present and summarize the history and current development of services, education, and other initiatives for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families.