Abstract :
This study aimed at developing and validating a standardized tool-Specific Learning Disabilities Screening Checklist (SLDSC) for screening and identification of learning disabilities among primary students in Special Education Pakistan as literature found no indigenous standardized tool was available for screening of students in special education Pakistan. A 5-point Likert type SLDSC was constructed by going a series of phases involving item generation, content validity measures, pilot testing, and scale validation procedures. An instrument of 77 items was generated through Content Validity Index (CVI) and underwent into Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) conducted on a purposive sample of 672 participants to extract factorial structure of the tool. Resultantly, 38 items SLDSC with three factors, factor loadings > 0.50 paved the way for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with a sample of 500 participants to measure psychometric properties of the tool. The model fit indices CFA confirmed a 37-item SLDSC with three subscales depicting excellent internal consistency, strong convergent and discriminant validity. The findings witnessed that a newly developed SLDSC with robust psychometric properties can be applied by special education educators and psychologists for screening and identification of students with specific learning disabilities in special education settings.