Digital Developmental Screening Tool and AI-supported Intervention for Advancing Inclusive Education from the Early Ages in ASEAN

Across Malaysia and ASEAN, developmental screening typically ends at 18-24 months through vaccination check-ups, leaving children aged 2-6 without routine assessment. Consequently, developmental disabilities including autism, ADHD, and learning disorders often go undetected until primary school which is too late to prevent academic setbacks. A shortage of specialists, expensive private assessments, and limited early intervention services create significant barriers. Urban intervention centres face long waiting lists while rural facilities lack expertise, leaving children from underserved communities without timely support. In 2024, Malaysia's Ministry of Education reported 59,000 Year One students (11.8%) remained unable to read after remedial support, highlighting the cost of late detection. While Malaysia has established strong inclusive education policies, including the Zero Reject Policy and comprehensive health and education frameworks, implementation gaps persist between policy vision and classroom practice. TOY8's AI-powered screening and intervention programme bridges this gap by enabling universal, affordable screening administered by trained teachers, providing immediate digital intervention within mainstream preschools, and empowering educators to support children early without requiring on-site specialists, transforming inclusive education into accessible, scalable practice.

TOY8 is an organization that has developed a digital developmental screening tool and an AI-supported intervention programme designed for preschool-aged children, enabling universal screening for all children. The tool is based on international and Japanese screening instruments and was co-developed with Malaysian specialists and universities, specifically University of Malaya and Sunway University. TOY8 works on advancing inclusive education for preschool-aged children (3-5 years old) through its "Inclusive Education 2.0" model, which leverages AI and digital technologies to enable early identification of developmental delays and provide intervention support within mainstream preschools. The organization collaborates with multiple stakeholders in early childhood care and education (ECCE), including preschools, early childhood intervention providers, healthcare and education specialists, and families.