VISUAL-SPATIAL INTEGRATED CURRICULUM FOR SPEECH DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

This study examines the curriculum and teaching implications derived from the Visual-Spatial Ability Mediated Model of Speech Fluency in Autism Spectrum Disorder (VSA-MSF-ASD) for special education settings in Malaysia. The empirical foundations of this framework were previously established through a cross-sectional quantitative study involving 356 respondents comprising special education teachers and caregivers across Klang Valley and Kuching, Sarawak; the present paper focuses on translating those empirical findings into a practical curriculum design framework with actionable teaching strategies. The original study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and revealed that visual-spatial abilities function as a central hub influencing both cognitive factors (executive functions, β = 0.656; prior knowledge, β = 0.794) and affective factors (self-efficacy, β = 0.796; attitude, β = 0.728), with the integrated model explaining 48.7% of variance in speech utterance achievement. Based on these findings, this paper develops a curriculum design framework comprising four integrated domains: visual-semantic knowledge building, visual-executive scaffolding, affective engagement through visual modalities, and systematic speech output facilitation. Practical teaching strategies aligned with each domain are proposed, with implications for curriculum reform in special education programmes in Malaysia and the broader Asia Pacific region. A key limitation is that the proposed framework has not yet been experimentally validated in classroom settings; future intervention studies are needed to assess its practical effectiveness. The study aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013–2025.