BREAKING BARRIERS: GENDER-INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING THROUGH ACCESSIBLE DIGITAL MEDIA FOR DEAF COMMUNITIES IN NORTHEAST INDIA

<jats:p>This chapter situates deaf entrepreneurship within the broader discourse of contemporary media studies, focusing on how accessible digital media can function as an enabling ecosystem for gender-inclusive economic participation. Drawing on an empirical intervention conducted in Northeast India (Dimapur, Imphal, and Shillong), the chapter documents the design, development, and evaluation of an accessible digital media–based entrepreneurship training module for deaf men and women. Conceptually anchored in digital inclusion, media accessibility, and participatory communication, the study demonstrates how sign-language-led, captioned, and visually structured media content can reduce structural barriers, enhance comprehension, and support gender-responsive empowerment. The findings contribute to debates in digital, social, and mass media by positioning accessibility not as an add-on, but as a core media practice essential for inclusive development.</jats:p>