"I am very happy to see many disabled but smart students are now able to get a higher education," said Li Caimao, recalling his struggle to go to college 18 years ago.

Li, now an official of the Beijing government department for disabled people's affairs, had to take the annual college entry exam three times before he found a school willing to enroll him.

"At that time, many departments in colleges refused disabled students. Now it is different. Once you pass the exam, you are in," he said.

For those receiving compulsory pre-college education, the country has waived tuition and incidental expenses and given them free textbooks.

"Through these steps, many disabled children have been able to go to school and their families bore fewer financial burdens," said Ma Wanyu, a hearing disabled teacher in Jixi, a city in northeastern Heilongjiang Province.

Better education and preferential policies helped many disabledpeople find jobs and develop careers.

Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2008 shows the barrier-free sign on the ground at a subway station in Beijing, capital of China. Numbers of barrier-free signs have appeared recently at Beijing subway stations as the Beijing Paralympic Games approaches.

Radio host Yang Qingfeng, suffering from low vision, set up a radio program studio. Most of his colleagues are also vision disabled. They produce audio programs to help the blind in daily life, such as how to cook and travel.

"Being vision-disabled ourselves, we know what our audiences want to hear. For instance, we will tell them how to go somewhere at a very detailed level, such as pressing which button in the elevator," he said.

In the Paralympics, China will send its largest delegation since 1984, with 547 members including 332 athletes.

Many disabled people will serve as volunteers. In the Olympic core area, 12 wheelchair users will guide tourists and audience members. In the Paralympic Village, 10 blind massage specialists will serve athletes from across the world. At the opening and closing ceremonies, disabled artists will give the global audience wonderful performances.