Thai lecturer Jiraporn Chano with College of Education Interim Associate Dean Patricia Klass and Special Education Professor Phil Parette.
The flight from Thailand to Bloomington-Normal is certainly a familiar one for Jiraporn Chano, lecturer at Mahasarakham University in Northeastern Thailand.
Her most recent visit to campus marked her fourth trip to Central Illinois. Chano arrived in June and has been working closely with Special Education Assistive Technology (SEAT) Center personnel, including Brian Wojcik, Phil Parette, and George Peterson-Karlan.
Chano’s inaugural trip to Illinois State was in 2006, when she earned a scholarship to study with Stacey Jones Bock, associate professor of special education and interim chair of the department.
Thai lecturer Jiraporn Chano poses for a picture on the Quad during a visit to Illinois State. Chano said the experience was eye-opening and vital to her doctoral research on autism at Khon Kaen University.
Over the next several years, Chano returned to Illinois State to enhance her studies in special education, including a 2007 trip to attend an Illinois State-sponsored workshop in Peoria for serving students with disabilities.
This year, Chano has focused her research on how assistive technology research can benefit preservice and practicing teachers back in Thailand.
“When I return, I will apply what I have learned in the context of education in Thailand,” Chano said.
Most students with disabilities in Thailand do not receive the same access to early intervention education or technologies as American students. Because of this, Chano will use what she learned and adapt it to her research and teaching.
“All of this work depends on context. If you have more perspective, you can learn how to adapt it,” said Chano.
During her visit, Chano has worked extensively with Wojcik, coordinator of the SEAT center. Through this collaboration, Chano has recognized the tremendous value of the center for all areas of education, and she has made it a goal to establish a similar resource for her own university.
Another objective during her stay has been to further develop her English fluency so that she may increase her engagement in international conferences. She knows the knowledge and skills passed on to her preservice teachers will help them to be successful, no matter where their path takes them.
“I talk to them about the benefits of having international vision and language skills,” Chano said. “You can work all around the world if you have the language to do so.”
