Blind agents work in new call center

What could be the first call center in developing countries to be staffed by blind persons has opened in the Philippines.

Housed at the Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired (ATRIEV) offices along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City, the call center formally opened its doors on October 20, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported on Tuesday.

It “is believed to be the first and the only one of its kind operating in a developing economy in the world,” the department reported.

The call center, a project under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC) Initiative, is expected to be fully operational by November 2009.

It is supported by the ADOC Secretariat, Institute for Information Industry, Chunghwa Telecom, Acer Computer Corp. and Tamkang University—all based in Chinese Taipei—as well as the Philippine APEC National Secretariat, Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons, Philippine National School for the Blind and city government of Quezon City.

The call center is equipped with special and customized outbound call-center software and refreshable Braille display input output devices that will enable its agents to assist clients by reading prescribed responses in Braille.

Trained agents

Those who underwent the special training course for the visually impaired in Taipei were Adonis Untalan of the Philippine National School for the Blind, Josephus Reynes of the Special Needs School Instructor of the Cebu City School System, Rev. Antonio Llanes Jr. (ATRIEV president), Lourdes Borgonia (ATRIEV instructor and blind webmaster), Deterson Omas (ATRIEV instructor, software programmer and blind athlete), Charito Co of Grace Christian Academy and Mabel Gaerlan of Philippine Resources for the Blind Foundation in Cebu.

Blind agents of the call center are assisted by a screen reader, which translates displayed text to speech, while partially blind agents make use of screen magnification software.

The technology would enable visually impaired agents to become as efficient and effective as sighted call center agents.

The opening of the center was led by Chairman Peter Leslie Wallace of the ATRIEV Foundation and Donald C.T. Lee, the representative of the Philippine Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

A message from Dr. Stan Shih, the chairman of the ADOC Secretariat and founder of the Acer Group, was read during the opening ceremonies.

The landmark opening was witnessed by government and private partners of ATRIEV.

Wallace acknowledged the significant efforts being made to provide visually impaired persons the opportunity for sustained employment.

Lee noted the continuing work needed to enhance access to digital technology for many marginalized people in APEC.

New center

Together with the opening of the call center, the 10th APEC Digital Opportunity Center was also inaugurated at the ATRIEV Offices.

ADOC No. 10 shall design and provide training courses for Visually impaired persons in the use of computers.

The call center was a beneficiary of computer equipment donated by the ADOC Secretariat.The unique call center and ADOC facility were launched ahead in Taipei on October 6, during the ADOC 2.0 Week.–Llanesca T. Panti, Reporter, Manila Times