Fig ure 1: My Le xic s Main Me nu
Abjad (Alphabet) Module
This m o d ule w ill g ive the use rs the fo und a tio n o f re c o g nizing a nd w riting le tte rs o f the a lp ha b e t. First, the y w ill b e intro d uc e d to a le tte r a nd the sha p e o f the le tte r. The n the y w ill le a rn to re c o g nize a ll the le tte rs b y its c a te g o rie s: Vo w e ls a nd c o nso na nts. Am o ng vo w e l le tte rs, d ysle xic s a lw a ys g e t c o nfuse d w ith vo w e l ‘ e ’ a nd ‘ i’ . This is d ue to the simila r so und s o f the le tte r (Mo hd Yuso h e t. a l, 2008). Thus, the le tte rs a re d isp la ye d in se p a ra te d p a g e s. Fig ure 3 sho w s a sa m p le sc re e n fo r w riting a vo w e l.
Fig ure 3: Intro duc ing and Writing a Vo we l
Dysle xic s a lw a ys re ly o n p ic ture s a nd c o nte xtua l c lue s to sa y a w o rd (Ea rnsha w a nd Se a rg e a nt, 2005). This is d ue to the ir p o o r d e c o d ing skill e sp e c ia lly o f sym b o ls like le tte rs. To o ve rc o m e this p ro b le m , MyLe xic s a sso c ia te d le tte rs with im a g e s a nd a ud io . He re , d ysle xic s w ill a sso c ia te the sha p e o f the ima g e w ith the le tte r itse lf. This is a n e xa m p le o f d ua l c o d ing the o ry c o nc e p t. The d ysle xic s a re g ive n c ue s b y im a g e s a nd a ud io to he lp the m re c o g nize le tte r tha t the y d o no t im m e d ia te ly re c o g nize . Fig ure 4 sho w s a sa m p le sc re e n o f re c o g nizing a le tte r in C o nso na nt Mo d ule .
Sukukata (Syllables) Module
In Ab ja d Mo d ule , d ysle xic s le a rn the ind ivid ua l vo w e l a nd c o nso na nt a nd its so und . In this m o d ule , the y w ill le a rn the c o m b ina tio n o f a vo w e l a nd a c o nso na nt to fo rm a sylla b le . As MyLe xic s is ta rg e te d to p re sc ho o le rs, o nly tw o -le tte r sylla b le s a re c o ve re d . The m e tho d use d is q uite stra ig htfo rw a rd . In MyLe xic s, d ysle xic s w ill le a rn sylla b le s using Sim ulta ne o us O ra l Sp e lling (SO S) te c hniq ue . This te c hniq ue stre sse s fo ur m a in c o m p o ne nts o f le a rning , w hic h a re 1) He a r it, 2) Sa y it, 3) Se e it, 4) Write it. He re , the SO S use s m ulti-se nso ry a p p ro a c h w he re le a rne rs use the ir visio n a nd he a ring to le a rn the sylla b le s. In a d d itio n, in o rd e r to c a p ture a nd susta in d ysle xic s’ a tte ntio n a nd inte re st, sim p le a nima tio ns a re p ro vid e d w ith inte re sting illustra tio n o f the le tte r c o m b ina tio n p ro c e ss. Fig ure 5 b e lo w sho w s sa m p le sc re e ns fo r Sukuka ta Mo d ule .
Fig ure 5. ‘Sukukata’ Mo dule
The le a rne r c a n c lic k o n the sylla b le , he a r the so und o f sylla b le , a nd w a tc h a 2D a nima tio n o f c o m b ina tio n o f the le tte rs to m a ke the sylla b le . Like in Ab ja d m o d ule , vo w e l ‘ i' a nd ‘ e ’ a re d isp la ye d in se p a ra te sc re e n.
Perkataan (Words) Module
w hic h w ill he lp the d ysle xic s to re ta in m o re info rm a tio n. Ne xt, the syste m w ill hig hlig ht the ne xt p ic ture w ith a n a nim a tio n o f le tte r tra nsitio n in the first w o rd . Vo ic e -o ve r is p ro vid e d to e xp la in the tra nsitio n. Fig ure 6 sho w s the w o rd se t. The le a rne rs c a n c o ntinue w ith the ne xt fa m ily w o rd b y c lic king a t the a rro w b utto n.
Fig ure 6. Pe rkataan Mo dule
Comparison with other products
The re a re se ve ra l p ro d uc ts o n the Ma la ysia n m a rke t to te a c h re a d ing suc h a s Siri C e p a t Me mb a c a Ba c a la h Ana kku a nd Re a d Ea sy (http :/ / re a d ne tw o rk.c o m ). Ba c a la h Ana kku is a p a c ka g e o f b a sic le a rning o f Ma la y la ng ua g e fo r c hild re n, c o nsisting o f 8 b o o ks, 1 b o o kle t, 1 VC D a nd 12 sc a n c a rd s. The c o m p a riso n b e tw e e n MyLe xic s a nd Ba c a la h Ana kku a re sho w n in the Ta b le 1.
Recognition of the initiative
• Silve r Me d a l, E-le a rning fo r Disa b ility: An Assistive Multim e d ia C o urse w a re fo r Dysle xic s, UTe M Exhib itio n 2008 (In c o njunc tio n w ith Ma la c c a Ed uc a tio n C a rniva l), Inno va tio n C a te g o ry, Me la ka Inte rna tio na l Tra d e C e ntre , 27-30 Ma rc h 2008.
• G o ld Me d a l, MyLe xic s: An Assistive Multim e d ia C o urse w a re fo r Te a c hing a nd Re info rc ing Ba sic Skills in Re a d ing Ma la y La ng ua g e a m o ng Dysle xic s, The 18th Inte rna tio na l Inve ntio n, Inno va tio n a nd Te c hno lo g y Exhib itio n (ITEX07), Kua la Lum p ur C o nve ntio n C e ntre , 18-20 Ma y 2007.
