Development of an Entrepreneurship Simulation Module for Teaching Entrepreneurship to Autistic Children in Kelantan

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most perplexing conditions for which no precise cause or definitive treatment has been identified. Autism is a neurocognitive disorder typically observed in young children affecting multiple aspects of development. It exhibits a disparity in social interaction, manifested by the repetition of certain behavioural patterns and difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication. As a result, they may struggle with self-management and rely on support from their families and community. Autism treatment centres, particularly in Malaysia are more inclined to teach self-reliance activities to these individuals, such as taking care of personal hygiene (bathing, cleaning utensils, etc.) and cleaning their living space. It's important to develop life skills, including the ability to work and earn a living to prevent becoming a burden on family and the community. However, this does not address other aspects of life which are equally important, including entrepreneurship skills. This study attempts to establish an entrepreneurship module for autistic children as an initial step for them to develop skills to access further education, work experience opportunities, and mainstream community facilities. To test the developed module, the simulation method will be employed. Additionally, observation and focus group discussions (FGD) will enhance the module. The training of trainers for its development will involve teachers and volunteers. This project will involve five teachers, five volunteers and seven high-functioning autistic children. The module consists of four parts: training of trainers, business simulation, business execution and assessment of its effectiveness. This project is expected to improve the module that has been developed, focusing on cognitive and psychomotor-based entrepreneurial skills for high-functioning autistic children. Creating an entrepreneurship module for autistic children in Malaysia would enhance their therapy and provide valuable life skills. In addition to developing work-related abilities, this module could help prevent individuals with autism, particularly those from the bottom-tier household income (B40) group, from falling into poverty in the long run. Policymakers could use this module as a reference for developing policies prioritising the needs of people with autism. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.