Sara Gabai and Kamolrat Intaratat
THAI PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE EAGER TO LEARN ICT SKILLS AND BE PART OF A DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE ASEAN
Information Communication Technology (ICT) plays a key role in empowering people with disabilities to be agents of development efforts and active players in social and economic activities. However, in Thailand, as in many other countries of the world, people with disabilities are still marginalized and discriminated. They are prevented from fully accessing healthcare services, benefiting from educational programs, being involved in lifelong learning initiatives, and becoming financially independent and competitive in the labor market.
In recognizing the major challenges and barriers to promote disability-inclusive economic and social development, CCDKM with its mission of using ICT to empower all the marginalized in Thailand and ASEAN has been tapping resources with some core partners to organize and deliver a series of trainings on ICT for Business and Knowledge Management. Some of its main academies are as follow: 1) AYE (ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Academies) which is created by Microsoft limited company (Thailand) with ASEAN Foundation and other pilot 5 ASEAN countries; and the other academy is 2) Digital SME created by INTEL limited company, Thailand with its tailor made outstanding academy E- Basics ( Intel Entrepreneurship Basics) integrated with the Federation of Thai Industries and others. Both academies are served with both online and offline platforms to reach most start- up entrepreneurs not only in Thailand but also among all the ASEAN member countries. Besides, the Federation of Thai Industries also offers professional online platform: www.ftibusiness.com to all who operate their business in B2B.
Lack of access to ICTs and adequate tools are also major barriers to disability-inclusive societies. For many trainees, it was their first time using a computer.
“Usually I have very limited access to computers; after this training I understand that learning new digital literacy skills may open up opportunities for my future”, said Kai, a student from Roi Et School for the Blind.
After the series of trainings to all nationwide marginalized, the most outstanding achievement found is the “opening of all kinds of opportunities to all of them”. From six provinces all over Thailand (Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nakhon Sawan, Pathum Thani, Roi Et, Surat Thani and Lampang) with 163 women, 41 physically disabled people, 111 visually impaired and 60 hearing impaired people been trained on the above academies with WCAG as its fundamental knowledge and skills. The other knowledge & skills imparted are knowledge management skills, Microsoft Office, Power Point presentations, Microsoft Excel, e-accounting, ICT literacy for basic business, e- business marketing, and PR, etc.
All the marginalized trainees, the hardcore poor both in remote rural area and in urban areas as well as the disabled were very enthusiastic and they greatly benefited from the trainings as by their words below;
“All the above academies are very flexible and open to all even though we are the disabled people. I have learned and confirmed that the main obstacle of life is not my own disability, but it is my own hesitation to start. Because all opportunities are really open to us all. We need to work harder and be life-long learners. Then we all can be successful ….not only on the entrepreneurship side but also the human side too”, said Nui, disable entrepreneur, Phichit, lower North of Thailand.
“I am working at a local agricultural cooperative and my responsibility is to report all farm management and financial reports. The accounting and administration skills I gained during this training really help me, they enable me to work faster and manage my work better, as a result, I have more time for my family. I also help train my team to use ICT to develop more working skills too,” said Nok from Pathum Thani.
“ICT is always in the hands of everyone, we now pay more attention to it and make more use of it. I have no more depressed attitude in my life anymore. With ICT, I believe and I am confident that ICT can make me equal to others” said by Ta, a single mother with two siblings in her poor family, Phichit, lower North, Thailand.
“ICT has given me miracle in my life because I got invited as the international ICT4D trainers especially for SME/community entrepreneurs/Start-Up entrepreneurs in other ASEAN countries. My first time was to be invited to be a trainer in Laos PDR, which I never thought was possible. They also wanted to invite me to other countries. But I must learn English first then I can convey my training to others. I am very proud of myself, and my family too. Since I was trained on how to use ICT for entrepreneurship skills, I work at home, I can help my wife to take care of my babies and my elderly parents. We can earn more income. Currently, I have set up my smart community company to serve all my community people. Anyone can walk in and use ICT for cheap, and even for cheap ICT training, and even some ICT consultations, etc. Our customers keep increasing,” said Pae, the community leader, Burirum, Northeast of Thailand.
“Not only the marginalized are eager to learn more, even the youths in the community, the local staff from all local agencies keep walking in to get more ICT training. Many of them expressed their need to be trained on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) because they need to serve disable people better,” said Prasarn, the staff of the Local Administrative Bureau, Lampoon, North of Thailand.