As more and more children with special needs return to mainstream schools, students have more chances to interact with their peers with special needs at mainstream schools. However, do they truly understand and accept their ‘special’ schoolmates?

Infinity Star Academy: A Storybook on Integrated Education is a picture book designed for normal primary school children and their parents. It tells a riveting story against a backdrop of an imaginary quasi-school environment in simple language and with colourful pictures. Guided by an educational psychologist and a social worker, children are encouraged to reflect on their own behavior and attitude from the perspective of an outsider, and gain a better understanding of dyslexia, autism and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder. The storybook also offers tips to parents and teachers on cultivating empathy in their children, helping them develop healthy interpersonal relationships, and accept their classmates who are differently abled, with an effort to create a harmonious school environment.

Siu Lam, the protagonist, has recently moved to the Infinity Star. At his new school, Infinity Academy, every child is endowed with a special talent. With help from teachers and classmates, everyone can develop his or her potential. However, not everyone fits in at school. Taro is often socially isolated and teased. On a camping trip, a terrifying incident happens – Taro has gone missing! Where has he gone? How do the children at the Infinity Star Academy find him? What changes do they go through after this experience? If you want to know the rest of the story, why don’t you begin this adventure on ‘Infinity Star’ now? 

The publication was sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.