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Overview
Amidst the evolving disability landscape, we set our sights to shape a new paradigm of care and practice to better the lives of persons with special needs. At MINDS, our team of trailblazers and visionaries is committed to driving applied research and innovative practices within the disability sector to improve the outcomes and quality of lives for persons with special needs.
Applied Research
Exploring enablers in student achievements, investigating the impact of sports and exercise on quality of lives for persons with disabilities, and implementing an inclusive community living model.
Our desire to enhance the quality of lives and outcomes in persons with special needs has fuelled newer and better ways to deliver our care experiences. By building a culture of evidence-based research and practices, we remain at the cutting edge of the sector to enhance their quality of life and outcomes.
Driving Applied Research to Build Capability
Through nurturing closer collaborations with universities and learning centres, we build capacity and capability in the disability sector to raise standards of care for persons with special needs.
Our collaboration with Griffith University’s Autism Centre for Excellence brings academic perspectives, interdisciplinary practices, and real-world experiences to equip professionals with the relevant skills and competencies to stay ahead of the evolving landscape.
Learn more about our accredited courses here.
Inspiring Lifelong Learning through Evidence-Based Practices
At MINDS, our adults with special needs are learners with an enduring curiosity to understand the world around them. We believe in nurturing that curiosity and enabling them to cultivate their passions and pursue their interests by providing them a host of learning opportunities.
In partnership with the Centre for Disability Studies, the University of Sydney, our Lifelong Learning Programme brings real-world experiences and evidence-based practices to enable persons with special needs to immerse themselves in the joys of learning, equipping them with critical skills to lead an independent and meaningful life.
Applied Research Highlights
Applied Research in MINDS
MINDS conducts research on a wide range of topics related to advancing the wellbeing of Persons with Intellectual Disability and their caregivers. MINDS Institute (MI), the research arm of MINDS, supports the research efforts of MINDS’s schools, centres and staff by advising on research methods, research design, survey design and survey execution, as well as helping with data analysis.
If you are external party who would like to collaborate with MINDS on a research project or find out more about the research we do, or if you are a MINDS’s staff who would like MI to support you in the research project you are working on, please contact us at mi@minds.org.sg.
Some of the recent papers published by MINDS are below:
Title: Impact on persons with disabilities and their families when they are contributors to society through volunteerism and employment
Journal: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Citation: Cheah, K. J., Riches, V., & Manokara, V. (2024). Impact on persons with disabilities and their families when they are contributors to society through volunteerism and employment. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37(2), e13172.
Title: Our Lives, Our Voices: Impact of Self-Advocacy Program on Persons with Intellectual Developmental Disability.
Journal: Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Citation: Chong, K., Cheah, K. J., & Manokara, V. (2024). Our Lives, Our Voices: Impact of self-advocacy program on persons with intellectual developmental disability. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 8(1), 42-63.
Title: A study of caregiver support services: Perspectives of family caregivers of persons with intellectual disabilities in Singapore.
Journal: Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities
Citation: Riches, V. C., O'Brien, P., Manokara, V., & Mueller, A. (2023). A study of caregiver support services: Perspectives of family caregivers of persons with intellectual disabilities in Singapore. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(1), 117-131.
Title: Exploring the Concepts of Clinical Governance and Evidence-based Practice Within the Disability Sector in Singapore.
Journal: Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Citation: Cheah, K. J., Chan, J., & Manokara, V. (2022). Exploring the Concepts of Clinical Governance and Evidence-based Practice Within the Disability Sector in Singapore. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(1), 106-117.
Title: Research and training priorities of staff supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities with or without autism.
Journal: Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities
Citation: Simpson, K., Adams, D., Manokara, V., & Malone, S. (2022). Research and training priorities of staff supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities with or without autism. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 19(3), 277-287.