In 2020, the Integrated Centre for Wellbeing (I-WELL) of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), in collaboration with Nanjing Normal University of Special Education (NNU), and supported by the Tin Ka Ping Foundation (TKP), completed research on neuroscience and education technology in special education.

In a presentation, Professor Leung Chi-hung, Co-Director of I-WELL and Professor (Practice) at the Department of Special Education and Counselling (SEC) of EdUHK, summarised three stages of professional training to benefit students with autism, hearing impairment or intellectual disabilities in the mainland, especially those living in remote areas. NNU professors and in-service teachers who participated in the programme shared their experience, along with their respective research topics. The researches were led by Professor Leung, Dr Phil Liu Duo, Head of SEC, and Dr Angus Wang Li-chih, Associate Professor at SEC of EdUHK, with topics covering the areas of music and information science, early childhood education, applied hearing impairment teaching, and sports and rehabilitation.

The team also developed a special education e-manual, comprising concise knowledge about neuroscience and e-learning. This knowledge can be transferred into applied research plans, addressing the learning needs of children with special educational needs in Nanjing. NGOs and special schools in Hong Kong will be invited to download the e-manual, together with the training manual.

I-WELL recently received another funding grant from TKP for a continuation of the project, entitled “Research, Development and Application of Educational Materials on Neuroscience and Education Technology in Special Education”. With NNU as the same partnering university, the initiative will focus on the production of educational materials, training and applications related to neuroscience and education technology to cultivate special education in the mainland.

More information on the project is available on the I-WELL website.