Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty among preschool children, with early indicators often emerging before formal literacy instruction. Early screening is therefore essential to support timely intervention; however, many preschool settings continue to rely on manual, paper-based screening practices that are time-consuming, inconsistent, and susceptible to human error. To address these limitations, this study aimed to design and develop a centralised digital Dyslexia Screening Test Management System to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and standardisation of early dyslexia screening. The proposed system was developed using a system development–based research approach grounded in selected subtests of the Dyslexia Screening Test–Junior (DST-J). It was implemented as a centralised web-based platform incorporating role-based access control, structured data entry, automated scoring, centralised database management, and report generation functionalities. The system enables assessors and administrators to register students, conduct screening assessments, retrieve data in real time, and generate structured screening reports through a unified interface. System usability and functionality were first evaluated through a pilot study involving three preschool teachers and fifteen preschool children, followed by system refinement. The refined system was subsequently implemented in a main study involving three preschool teachers and thirty preschool children from different preschools. Findings indicate that the system functioned as intended, with automated scoring producing consistent results and user feedback suggesting improved screening efficiency, reduced administrative burden, and increased confidence in result interpretation. In conclusion, the developed system provides a practical and reliable digital solution to support early identification of dyslexia risk in preschool settings and offers a foundation.

Authors:
Shalinawati Ramli, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Malaysia
Sharifah Najwa Syed Mohamad, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Malaysia
Shahlan Surat, National University of Malaysia, Malaysia
Abdul Rahman Mohamad Gobil, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Shalinawati Ramli is a Senior Lecturer at USIM. Her interests include public health, dyslexia, and health education. She is currently leading a project on a dyslexia screening system for Malaysian preschool children.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

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