ATRIEV - Disability in Digital Economy Project Title: Disability Inclusion in Digital Economy

The COVID pandemic has underscored the importance oftechnology in accessinginformation and resources due to itsrestrictions. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are further left behindin the new normal. ATRIEV, an assistive technology-focusedorganization, was able to transcend to the new normal andmaximized assistive technology to provide persons with disabilitieswith the skills to earn and survive. As early as 2018, ATRIEVrecognized the role of social media to promotebusinesses online.Using the Android platform, ATRIEV developed a training programcentered on using Facebook Marketplace for PWD micro-entrepreneurs nationwide. With assistive technology, participantswere taught photo editing apps, Facebook posting, and onlinebranding. In 2020, ATRIEV revised the social media training toinclude financial literacy, pricing, and costing of products andservices and renamed the training to Digital Business basicsTraining (DBBT). Since most businesses shifted online, the trainingalso included the use of e-payments, delivery services, and accessto online shopping sites. using video conferencing platforms,ATRIEV’s visually-impaired trainers redesigned DBBT for onlinetraining customized for PWD Android users. In 2020, majority of the150 DBBT training participants engaged in online selling of food,ready-to-wear apparel, herbal products, and e-loading services.However, because of the evolving technology trends, most onlinesellers and buyers shifted to the use ofInstagram for business, Online live selling using Facebook live and YouTube videos as add-ons to the social media business package. For this project, ATRIEVwill revise its DBBT course content to include Instagram forbusiness, video creation, and putting up a YouTube channel. Acommunication and presentation skills module will also be added tothe course. A customized marketing training will also be included tofocus on actual sales techniques. Aside from the skills developmentof PWDs, ATRIEV will also connect them to access resources fromgovernment institutions like the Departmentof Trade and Industry(DTI), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority(TESDA), and Department of Social Welfare and Development(DSWD). ATRIEV will train these agencies onaccessible documentproduction and online facilitation. ATRIEV will also conductaccessibility audits of their websites for remediation to ensure thatall of the government tools and processes are inclusive. Finally,ATRIEV will build a site where PWDs can learn, find jobs, sell onlineand earn. While government agencies have online tools, most ofthese tools are either not accessible or not appropriate forbeginners in using technology. Together with ATRIEV’s accessibilityexperts and a website firm, a fully accessible platform will bedeveloped that will help PWDs transition to the mainstream of digitaleconomy.The site will have a Learning Management System (LMS)that will host all the skills development training programs, a time logand monitoring system for ATRIEV trainers and employees to tracktheir work performance, a repository of profiles of employablePWDs and their portfolio, a directory of employers and their jobvacancies, and an online shop where PWDs can upload, share andconnect their businesses. Thisall-encompassing site will be knownas the Disability Inclusive Digital Economy Platform.