Assistive Technology for the Deaf: Thailand Experience

1. Assistive Technology for the Deaf: Thailand Experience WantaneePhantachat National Electronics and Computer Technology Center National Science and Technology Development Center Ministry of Science and Technology Aug 26, 2014

2. Outlines • General information of Thailand and Statistical data of pwds • Background situation: barrier of communication • Telecommunication Relay service

3. General Information of Thailand Country: Thailand Location : South East Asia Geography Maximum Length : 1,620 km.  Maximum Width : 775 km. Land Area : 513,115 sq.km. Land Boundaries : 4,864 km. Neighbor Border : Laos PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Malaysia Population : 65.6 million (8 million in Bangkok) Disability Population: 1.8 million Deaf Population: 0.249 million Speech impaired Population: 20,000 persons Older Population: 8 million National Religion : Theravada Buddhism Government : Constitutional Monarchy Head of State : King BhumibolAdulyadej Head of Government : Prime MinisterYingluckShinawat Currency : Bath (THB)

4. Current statistical data of Thai Pwds • Up today, there are 1,463,466 persons with disabilities that registered in pwd registry of National Office for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (NEP)*. • There are 249,184 persons with hearing loss (deaf). • Deaf populations is second largest within disabilities group (16%) behind physical handicapped (46%)* *Source: National Office for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (updated on June 2, 2014)

5. Current statistical data of Thai Pwds Source: National Office for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (updated on March, 2013

6. Barrier in Communication • How does the deaf communicate? • using sign language to communicate. • using lip reading to perceive information. • using text or pictures to communication and perceive information.

7. Communication problems • Communication distortion leading to less understand the information. • Can not communication to hearing people using sign language directly, sign language interpreters are necessary persons to help transfer information.

8. Thai Telecommunication Relay Service (TTRS) Presentation at International Workshop on Assistive Technology in I-create 2014 , Singapore Date: August 22, 2014, Venue: ITE, College East, Singapore By WantaneePhantachatAdvisor to TTRS Center

9. Background • National Telecommunication Commission is established in 2004, one of the policies is USO • National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) of Thailand was established in 2011 as a broadcast and telecoms regulatory body in Thailand. • At present NBTC forms the Universal Service Obligations (USO) Division which relies funding around 3.75% from revenue of telecommunication corporation to promote and develop telecommunication for remote areas and disadvantaged people. • Universal Service Obligation Master Plan (2012-2016) aims to provide the telecommunication services for persons with visual impairment and persons with hearing impairment at least 100,000 persons to access to information. • NBTC expects to receive 20,000 billion baht in 5 year of USO plan to put in USO fund • USO office spent 0.00015% in Telecommunication Relay service.

10. Establishment of TTRS • TTRS established in 2011 • TTRS is not for the profit organization, working under Universal Foundation for People with Disabilities. • TTRS is annually supported and funded 2 Million USD by NBTC equal to 0.00015% of USO Fund • TTRS has to provide the commission with proposal every 5 years for the plan and expenditure according to 5 year USO Plan.

11. THAI TELECOMMUNICATION RELAY SERVICE SMS, MMS สนทนาข้อความ สนทนาวิดีโอ สนทนาวิดีโอผ่านอุปกรณ์สื่อสารเคลื่อนที่ สนทนาวิดีโอผ่านตู้ TTRS ฉุกเฉิน

12. Services of TTRS 6 services of TTRS Video relay Service VRS via Mobile app VRS via Kiosk SMS/MMS Relay service IP Text relay Service Emergency relay service 2 New service of TTRS Speech enhancement service for persons with Laryngectomy Captioned Phone Relay Service

13. Telecommunication Relay Service System and Application

14. TTRS-Message • Menu • Text message Relay Service • Emergency Relay Service • TTRS News

15. Membership Registration Contact TTRS agent for membership registration

16. Setting, picture, and location

17. Text Message

18. Medical Emergency Relay Service

19. Information

20. Public Internet Kiosks • 30 Kiosks were installed around Thailand. • This year 90 new model of Kiosks will be installed.

21. Activities of TTRS Services • Service Level Agreement set to: • Success of picked up calls must be equal or greater than 85% of times • Success of responded times must be equal or quicker than 20 seconds per call

22. Activities of TTRS Problems encounter: • One of most frequent problems: quality of video due to poor internet speed at consumer’s point • Installation kiosk at schools for the deaf, had to put separated ADSL line to prevent low internet speed at schools

23. Activities of TTRS Improvement • New interpreter agents are given training workshop sessions with other organizations especially NEP and Ratchasuda College and Suan Dusit University • Once a year, held a meeting with selected one hundred frequent called consumers to share feedbacks

24. Method and Good Impact • Language Access • Thai to Thai Sign Language, Thai Sign Language to Thai • Thai Sign Language is natural and first language of deaf people • Thai text conversation help hard of hearing people who do not know sign language

25. Method and Good Impact • Recognition • Gain respect for deaf people • Understanding • Family of deaf children understand what children need • Independence • Deaf users can contact anyone, anywhere

26. Method and Good Impact • Collaboration • Create partnership with local deaf organizations, government offices for person with disabilities, public place such as police station, hospital, schools to create access for deaf people • Innovation • Constant creation for better quality of service such as relay through mobile phone, operator room setting, sign language interpreting on WebTV

27. The result of TTRS services in 2012, 2013 until May 2014 (Unit: call)

28. Abandon calls per hours: VRS & KIOSK in 2012-2013

29. Challenge • Speed • Lack internet coverage around Thailand • Currently on 3G, faulty speed in some spots • Interpreting • Small number of interpreters thus long queue at during highest number of calls • Interpreters • Quality of interpreting, more experience and training needed

30. Challenge • Technology • Require use of better telecommunication technology means more money for deaf consumers to buy, many deaf do not make enough money • Funding • Require large amount of money to improve technology infrastructure and service

31. Annual Users Feedback Seminar • Selected 80 most users with most frequented use • Evaluate only callers, not receiver

32. Users Satisfactory Evaluation Service Preference Percentage of Users Satisfactory by Service Preference • VRS45% • Kiosk 35% • Text 19% • SMS 13% • MMS 7%

33. Future Plan • Improve Emergency Relay Service • Video phone to be installed in all deaf clubs (77 clubs) in 77 provinces. • Deaf individual can purchase video phone for personal use • Relay through mobile phone/tablet

34. Medical Emergency architecture ITEMS

35. Medical Emergency architecture Mobile Application SMS VRS

36. Thank you TTRS Thailand