NEWS AND EVENTS
First Call Center Facility for the Blind Launched
The Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration, and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired (ATRIEV) Inc, the organization that pioneered computer training for the blind in the Philippines, recently received a much needed boost from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC) based in Taiwan, in partnership with local funding agencies, and the private sector.
ADOC 2.0 Project, which involves the establishment of an 8-work station call center training room and a 3-seat outbound call center facility, is the first APEC Digital Opportunity Center for the Blind in the Philippines. The launching ceremony for the Project was held on October 20, 2009, at 10:00 AM at ATRIEV’s Training Center for the Blind in Quezon City. The launch had an attendance of approximately 100 guests headed by H.E. Donald C. T. Lee, representative of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), ADOC officials, representatives of Chunghwa Telecoms of Taiwan, national government agencies, non-government organizations, and the private sector.ADOC 2.0 Project, which involves the establishment of an 8-work station call center training room and a 3-seat outbound call center facility, is the first APEC Digital Opportunity Center for the Blind in the Philippines. The launching ceremony for the Project was held on October 20, 2009, at 10:00 AM at ATRIEV’s Training Center for the Blind in Quezon City. The launch had an attendance of approximately 100 guests headed by H.E. Donald C. T. Lee, representative of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), ADOC officials, representatives of Chunghwa Telecoms of Taiwan, national government agencies, non-government organizations, and the private sector.ADOC 2.0 Project, which involves the establishment of an 8-work station call center training room and a 3-seat outbound call center facility, is the first APEC Digital Opportunity Center for the Blind in the Philippines. The launching ceremony for the Project was held on October 20, 2009, at 10:00 AM at ATRIEV’s Training Center for the Blind in Quezon City. The launch had an attendance of approximately 100 guests headed by H.E. Donald C. T. Lee, representative of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), ADOC officials, representatives of Chunghwa Telecoms of Taiwan, national government agencies, non-government organizations, and the private sector.
The call center training and operating centers are equipped with adaptive hardware and software customized to the needs and abilities of the blind. To prepare for the project, six totally blind, low vision and sighted graduates of ATRIEV, and representatives from partner organizations, namely, the Resources for the Blind, National Council on Disability Affairs, Philippine National School for the Blind, and the Department of Education, underwent a two-week trainers’ training in Taipei, Taiwan.
The call center operation uses a customized outbound call center software in tandem with a refreshable Braille display as hardware. With the use of a Braille display that interacts dynamically with the computer, a totally blind person can now provide customer assistance while listening to the client on the phone and reading the responses in Braille. With the technology, the blind will hopefully gain the same speed and efficiency as the sighted call center agent.
Established in 1994 by a group of blind persons, ATRIEV has had a track record in providing IT-related training for the blind for the last 15 years, with the use of a screen reader—a software that translates text to speech—and a screen magnification software. ATRIEV also provides on-the-job training in voicemail transcription to its qualified IT-related training graduates, in partnership with Gallop IT Solutions, a local transcription company.
About ADOC
The APEC Digital Opportunity Center Project (ADOC) was a Chinese Taipei initiative first raised in the 2003 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. It aimed to assist in transforming digital divides into digital opportunities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The first phase, launched in August 2004, concluded at the end of 2008. Chinese Taipei contributed more than US$10 million. In collaboration with seven APEC member economies, including Chile, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, 43 ADOC Centers in these partner economies have been established, with more than 600 PCs donated, and around 70,000 people trained at various ADOC centers.
To build on the present foundation and maintain momentum, the second phase of the ADOC project, ADOC 2.0, was proposed at the 2007 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. The main idea of the ADOC 2.0 project was to increase the cooperation between the public and private sectors with focus on capacity building activities for disadvantaged groups. In 2009, Mexico joined the ADOC 2.0 project as the 8th ADOC partner economy.
See articles and video below for more information:
Article from gmanews.tv
Article from Journal Online
Article from dwiz882.com
Video from 24 Oras and gmanews.tv
Providing Access to Information
Photo from www.worldbank.org.ph
The Knowledge for Development Center (KDC) in Central Philippine University (CPU), Iloilo is now open to persons with disabilities (PWDs). Recently equipped with modern adaptive equipment and facilities, CPU KDC is now more accessible to the blind and visually impaired.
Read More about it in the World Bank's KDC page
Back to topATRIEV Won the Samsung Hope Campaign!
We would like to THANK Everybody who voted for ATRIEV in the recently-concluded Samsung Hope project.
See articles below for more information:
Article from Yehey.com
Article from PhilStar.com
A brief Introduction about the video below.
Angel, at 21, is determined to pursue her studies at the Asia Pacific College (APC). It may be a simple dream for a girl her age but for Angel, totally blind, finishing a computer course in one of the centers of educational excellence is already a feat.
To Know more about Angel, go to: Angel's Success Story
To Watch More Videos from ATRIEV, visit our YouTube Channel at: www.youtube.com/ATRIEV
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