A PRELIMINARY STUDY TO COMPARE MOTOR SKILLS ABILITY AMONG PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM IN MALAYSIA AND AUSTRALIA

In the past, researchers had the tendency to include people with albinism under the same category of visually impaired individuals when motor skill study is conducted. Thus, this study investigated on the differences in motor skills potential in children and adults among people with albinism (PWA) in Malaysia and Australia. Apart from that, it also aimed to compare motor skills ability between the PWAs and the normal individuals of the two countries. Two tests were carried out to evaluate fine motor skill namely the match-board and Phepple-type stabilimeter. In finger movements test, the results indicated that both Australian PWA children and adults groups are more skilled and with better dexterity in their finger movement compared to PWAs in Malaysia. In arm stability test, Australian PWAs have greater number of touches than Malaysian to complete the tracing cycle. In term of speed it was the opposite. In conclusion, the motor skill among PWAs is lower compared to the pigmented individuals by two grades. Interventions such as extra time and provision of visual aid should be instituted to help them.