International Journal of
Information and Education Technology

Abstract

This study examined rural primary students’ perceptions of the Advanced Integrated NILAM System (AINS) in Malaysia and investigated how five key constructs—Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), Internal Factors (IF), External Factors (EF), and Behavioral Intention (BI)—influence Perceived Effectiveness (EA). AINS is a digital platform aligned with the government-endorsed NILAM reading program under Malaysia’s Digital Education Policy (2021–2030). A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving 65 students from a rural primary school. Correlational analyses revealed that all five constructs were significantly and positively associated with EA. However, regression results indicated that only IF (β = 0.451, p < 0.001) had a unique predictive effect. This study addresses a gap in previous research, which has largely overlooked rural students’ perspectives in evaluating educational technology. The findings emphasize the critical role of students’ motivation, confidence, and attitudes in shaping the perceived effectiveness of digital tools, rather than system features alone. Practical implications highlight the need to foster internal readiness to support meaningful and equitable technology integration in rural schools.