Blue book gives details on China's progress in aid for disabled

The development index of China's aid for persons with disabilities has steadily increased from 2008 to 2018. The index rose to 71.5 percent from 44.9 percent, registering growth of 26.6 percentage points over the 10-year period according to a new blue book on disabled people, chinanews.com reported.

The blue book was jointly released by Nanjing University of Special Education and Social Sciences Academic Press on Sunday. It depicted the overall development of China's aid for persons with disabilities in areas including rehabilitation, education, employment, social security, poverty alleviation and culture and sports.

China's guarantee of life index for persons with disabilities increased from 40.4 percent in 2008 to 75.9 percent in 2018, an increase of 35.5 percentage points, representing a substantial improvement.

The development and enhancement index for persons with disabilities increased from 53.4 percent to 65.3 percent during the same period. The index of service support for persons with disabilities increased to 72.3 percent in 2018, an increase of 31.6 percentage points from 2008.

The blue book also touched on education for students with special needs in China. Now the inclusive education in China is mainly in the form of students with special needs learning in regular classes. The number of such students has increased significantly, composing the majority of students in need of special education.

The blue book, citing multiple pieces of research, said students with special needs who learn in regular classes perform well in academic achievement, confidence and social interactions. They also have a positive influence on normal students, who tend to become more responsible, tolerant and less self-centered.

According to the blue book, the preschool stage is the weakest link in China's inclusive education development. The report suggested the preschool stage, the most important stage in inclusive education, should be given more attention, and that schools should act to create barrier-free campuses.