Development and Validation of Screening Tool for Identification of Slow Learners

Abstract

This study aimed to develop and validate a screening tool for the identification of slow learner students studying in special needs schools of Punjab. For this purpose, a systematic scale development procedure was adopted. The first phase of the study involved item generation through literature, focus group discussions, and interviews. The content validity index was established using the Lawshe approach followed by a pilot study. Further, construct validity was established through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on a sample of 356 students with an age range of 6 to 15 years (M = 10.70, SD = 2.24) recruited from different regions of Punjab. EFA resulted in 37 items distributed into four domains namely, cognitive skills domain, academic performance domain, social skills domain, and emotional and behavioral problems. The Cronbach alpha indicated excellent internal consistency of the items (α = 93). In study two, the four-factor structure was validated with an independent sample of 403 slow learners. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good model fit to the data; thus, all 37 items were retained. The contrasted groups' approach was used to establish the criterion-related construct validity of the screening tool. The results showed that the screening tool can effectively distinguish between slow learners and normal children. This study provides valuable insights into the characteristics of slow learners in our cultural context and presents a comprehensive screening tool that can be utilized by institutions to help identify and support slow learners.

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