Bridging Research and Inclusion: How Lely Hiryanto Uses Technology to Support Children with Disabilities
After completing her undergraduate degree in computer science at Universitas Tarumanagara (UNTAR) in Jakarta, Lely Hiryanto was determined to continue learning overseas. In 2004, Lely received a Scholarship to study at Curtin University, where she spent two years completing a postgraduate diploma and Masters in Computer Science. Her initial interest was in parallel computing, but on her supervisor advice, her focus shifted to computer networking and communication systems, an area that broadened her technical perspective.
‘I wasn’t planning to be a lecturer, I wanted to work in industry. But because of the chance to keep studying, I ended up teaching. I realised I enjoyed it, and now I’ve stayed in academia,’ she reflected.
Doctoral Research: Advancing Knowledge and Building Networks
More than a decade after her Masters, Lely returned to Curtin University in 2018 to begin her PhD in computer science under the Australia Awards Scholarship. Supervised by the same academic who had guided her during Masters’ research her doctoral research focused on software-defined networking.
‘Optimisation was completely new to me, and it was difficult at first. But I took it as a challenge. In the end, I was able to produce publications from my dissertation, and those papers continue to shape how I guide my students today,’ she explained.
‘And I always remembered that the scholarship was funded by taxpayers. That kept me motivated to keep learning and to think about how I could share my knowledge once I returned home,’ she said.
Giving Back Through Community Involvement
Lely’s commitment to community service has grown since returning from her PhD in 2022. One of the most significant outcomes of this commitment is Vicara, a short for Virtually Interactive Communication and Reading Aid. Conceived shortly after her PhD, Vicara is a free, mobile-based application designed for autistic children with communication difficulties.
For children who cannot express themselves verbally, this simple app provides a way to communicate basic needs such as hunger, thirst, or the desire to play. Therapists have also found that Vicara can stimulate clearer speech, encouraging children to practice words by repeating the generated sounds.
The project was developed in collaboration with Dr Hersinta a graduate of Curtin University and the London School of Public Relations (LSPR). Lely’s main role was to redesign and improve the application so it could be applied more widely. They drew on the expertise of Professor Katie Ellis, an expert in disability and digital technologies at Curtin University, and Dr Lydia Timms, a speech pathologist at Curtin’s School of Allied Health.
‘We wanted Vicara to be not only for children with autism but also for people of different ages and disabilities. Partnerships with Australian academics are important to help us from a broader perspective’.
By 2023, Lely and her collaborators began introducing the app to Rumah Belajar Cemara, a community-based school in Jakarta for children with autism. Lely focused on training teachers. She demonstrated how Vicara could be integrated into classroom activities. The pilot showed children became more engaged when using Vicara. In 2024, Lely and Vicara team extended the project to Gradasi Therapy Center, an integrated therapy service center for children with special needs, in East Jakarta.
At the same time, Lely also expanded her involvement beyond Vicara. She took on a volunteer role as IT coordinator for PORTADIN (Perkumpulan Orang Tua Anak Disabilitas Indonesia), a parents’ association for children with disabilities. Since 2024, she and her husband have managed PORTADIN’s online presence, from social media to livestreaming national events such as Gebyar Portadin.
Looking ahead, Lely envisions expanding the role of technology in inclusive education.
‘The Australia Awards gave me knowledge, networks, and opportunities. More importantly, they gave me a sense of responsibility.’ she concluded.
