Events
Events
Highlights: 1967 to Present
The record of the highlights and achievements for 1967 to present is a testament to AISS as a model of success for the education of VI students. The VI Support Unit will continue to assist VI students to grow and maximise their potential.
During the June vacation in 1983, five students, accompanied by Ms Betty Frois, Miss Deborah Ng and two sighted volunteers, went on a study tour to Penang. They stayed three days at the St. Nicholas School for the Blind and visited other sites in Penang.
Ms Deborah Ng accompanied Sec 2T2 student, Mohd Iskandar, to attend Sports camp organised by SSCD on 28-29 May 2001 at Temasik Polytechnic.
In February 2003, the Sec 1 and 2 students were brought to the school gym to try out various equipment. Subsequently, 2 Sec 1 students attended 6 sessions at the gym, supervised by the school Leo Club members.
During the SARS crisis in 2003, when all students were provided with ODTs to measure their body temperature, attempts were made to source for talking oral digital thermometers; only 2 were available and these were purchased by the school and issued to the two totally blind students (Lee Mei Ting of Sec 4N1 and Seet Yong Chye of Sec 1N1).
On 25 May 2003, the Independent Society of the Blind donated 12 units of the talking oral digital Thermometer and 1 unit of the talking infra-red ear thermometer to our school. All VI staff and students received a unit each.
When our school came under MOE’s Programme for Rebuilding and IMproving Existing schools (PRIME), plans were laid for the building of a special room, fitted, equipped and furnished with facilities customised for our VI students.
The new Resource Room was completed in June 2004 and the IPVI moved into the new location in July. The new room is large and spacious which provides a conducive learning environment for our students.
Under PRIME, the school also made a great effort to build in features, which would be user-friendly to the VI. The features include - textured-tile trails leading from the school’s front porch to the Admin office, the canteen, the toilets and the Resource Room;
- texture floor tiles for locating staircases;
- Braille signages for strategic locations;
- covered drains; and
- strong colour contrasts for the low vision students.
The Daily Living Skills (DLS) training module was conceived and implemented in AISS in September 2004 as an enrichment programme to equip our VI students with essential life skills. The ultimate goal is personal preparation for self-reliance.
To service this training programme, the new purpose-built room was fitted with washing and cooking facilities (sink, counter, cabinets, cooking appliances and utensils).
With the unreserved support of Mr Tan Keng Joo (the Principal) and encouragement from Mrs Lim Yap Cheng (HOD – Pastoral Care and Career Guidance), the DLS training module was planned and develop. The training process will prepare VI students to perform daily living activities safely and independently in a familiar environment. Skills taught included meal preparation, household chores and the use of kitchen appliances. The DLS training module is ongoing.
On 23rd March 2006, members of our school’s Leo Club, together with a team of 7 under-graduates from SMU, co-organised an excursion for the VI students of our school to Mount Faber, where there is a wall relief, consisting of 16 panels of tactile murals, depicting the history of Singapore from being a fishing village to an independent nation. The VI students learnt about the past by feeling the tactile pictures, portraying significant moments of our history and features of the different cultures.
The excursion also provided an opportunity outside of school for VI and sighted students to interact and build friendships. Both VI students and their sighted peers thoroughly enjoyed the event. It was a learning experience for all involved.
In 2018, we sent our VI students for the Work Experience Programme (WEP). Shermaine Chiam and Rendi Toh (3T1) wentto Dialogue in the Dark for their WEP over 8 weeks. This programmehopes to encourage greater self-confidence and a hands-on opportunityfor the students to experience a working life.
In 2018, Lawrence Gabriel (1E2) is a flutist in the AI Concert Band. In August, he performed in the Aespire Concert, together with his section leader. He is also in the Music Preparatory Class, riding on the initiative taken by AI to support VI students sitting for O-Level Music. On 1 July, he took part in the Purple Symphony at the University Cultural Centre.
On 18 April 2018, we hosted a group of Vietnamese delegate from Nguyen Dinh Chiu School for the Blind, Ho Chih Minh City during their studytrip to Singapore. We shared our VI programme and showcased our assistive devices used in the teaching and learning.
On 30 October 2018, VI students and staff were invited to attend the soft launch of the Touch Collection in the Singapore Art Museum (SAM). SAM has specially produced replicas of selected national art pieces for VI people to feel during their visits to SAM. Audio descriptions are also available during their exploration of the artworks. This will certainly promote a deeper understanding and hence greater appreciation towards art among the VI students.
Our students went on several learning journeys which enhanced their learning.
2006: Mount Faber Excursion
2007: Dragon boat
2008: Labrador Excursion
2009: Aerogreen Farm Visit
2012: Activity at Planet Bowl at Civil Service Club, Tessensohn Road