Supporting students with neurodevelopmental disabilities as they transition from school to postsecondary settings through enhancing self-determination

About the Project

Transition can be an overwhelming and scary process, primarily due to the uncertainties that come with significant changes. For individuals going through transitions—whether it's from school to adulthood, moving from one environment to another, or entering a new role—the unknowns can feel daunting. For people with disabilities, transitioning out of school can be harder due to fewer accessible opportunities and the need for tailored and careful planning. They often face additional challenges in finding suitable employment that recognise and leverage on their strengths, compounded by societal barriers and the loss of familiar routines and structures in postschool settings. With this in mind, I aim to support and enhance the transition process for students with neurodevelopmental disabilities through the following steps:

1. Understanding transition support needs: Understanding and addressing these uncertainties is essential to providing the necessary support during any transition process. These uncertainities can be unique to nuances of local culture. I aim to first gain a better understanding of their support needs and desires in the local Singapore context by seeking stakeholder perspectives and conducting participatory research to ensure that youth priorities and voices are at the forefront.
2. Enhancing self-determination: Self-determination is a key factor in successful transitions, empowering individuals to take control of their lives and make decisions aligned with their personal goals. In schools, I aim to explore what self-determination means to everyone involved in transition planning, while enhancing teacher and staff capacity to support students’ self-determination development. This can be achieved through implementing self-determination curricula that structure learning of key concepts and offer opportunities to practice related skills.
3. Tapping on technology: Technology can play a powerful role in expanding access to timely and personalized supports during transitions. I aim to explore how AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), can serve as discreet, accessible tools to support autistic individuals navigate the transition to employment and workplace challenges. These tools are also designed for co-workers, enabling them to better understand autism and learn how to create more supportive and inclusive work environments. By co-designing with autistic adults, the goal is to promote self-determination in real-world settings—empowering individuals to express preferences, seek accommodations, and advocate for their needs with greater confidence, while fostering understanding and allyship among colleagues.

Important Note

We welcome you to have a conversation with Assistant Professor Delia Kan (delia.kan@nie.edu.sg) to discuss this PhD project further. You are strongly encouraged to reach out to her at least 3 months in advance of application deadline (i.e. 25 June 2026) as the process of confirming the supervision and preparing your proposal for application may take longer than you anticipate.

When you email Assistant Professor Delia Kan, please:

1. Introduce yourself
2. Share about your academic background
3. Provide information on your research interests and how it is aligned with this project
4. And how you hope to achieve your PhD aspirations

We regret to inform you that only suitable PhD candidates for this project will be shortlisted for further consideration.

Minimum Entry Requirement

A Bachelor's degree with honours at least at Second Class Upper level, Master's degree in the relevant areas and the ability to pursue research in the candidate's proposed field of advanced study.

Shortlisted applicants will undergo an interview session as part of the selection process.

A valid GRE score is required for applicants who are not graduates of the Autonomous Universities in Singapore. See detailed requirements for English language on competency and GRE requirements here.

Funding Notes

Prestigious scholarships offered by the Nanyang Technological University allows outstanding PhD students to pursue their research endeavours at a world-class university. At NTU, we recognize academic excellence and research potential that will help you focus on making groundbreaking discoveries in your field.

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