Co-sponsored by Beijing Disables Persons’ Federation and the Municipal Informatization Office of Beijing, “Ceremony for Launching Chinese Olympic Games Related Common Terms Sign Language Web Education System and Presenting Sign Language Education Software” was held at Beijing Disabled Persons Activity Center on July 24, 2008. Present at the ceremony were Mr. Lu Zhengming, Vice President of Beijing Disabled Persons’ Federation, Mr. Li Hong, Deputy Dean of the Municipal Informatization Office of Beijing, and Mr. Meng Dan, Deputy Director of the Institute of Computing Technology, CAS. Volunteers for various service trades in Beijing and representatives of the deaf-mute, over 40 people in all, attended the ceremony, and accepted the “Chinese Sign Language Interactive Education Software” on behalf of the large number of volunteers and the deaf-mute friends. The web education system, developed by the Institute of Computing Technology, CAS, was formally launched on www.beijing.gov.cn concurrently. Olympic and Paralympic volunteers and people from various service trades in Beijing can learn sign language on the network, and the large number of deaf-mute friends have another channel for social activities. The education system is a phased achievement of the “Barrier-Free Exemplary Application of Information”, a State support project during the “11th 5-Year Plan” period undertaken by RCPC and that of relevant R&D projects of the Municipal Information Office of Beijing. It referred to “Common Terms for Olympic and Paralympic Games” jointly compiled by the Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympiad and Beijing Disabled Persons’ Federation. In the course of using the system, the speed of sign language and gesture can be adjusted; gestures of the sign language teachers can be observed from different directions by 3D rotation. Sentences are broken into words, so that gesture for each word can be mastered. By “High Tech” Olympic Games, we mean the multi-facet and multi-channel integration of modern science and technology into the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It aims at permeating scientific spirit, thinking and scientific and technological achievements into each and every detail of the Olympic and Paralympic Games by extensively applying the most advanced modern technology, and making Beijing 2008 Olympic Games into an international sports feast well equipped with advanced scientific and technological achievements. The education system is a perfect combination and display of the notion that science and technology support the Olympic Games and serve the disabled people. Along with the enhancement of our national overall strength, and the notion of building a “harmonious society” being more and more accepted, the services offered by government at various levels to the disabled people increase both in width and depth; along with the continuous improvement of science and technology, more and more scientific and technological products are developed by using information technology, which has made the communication between the disabled, as a special group, and the normal people more and more convenient. We believe that there will be more related information technology products in the future, which will help improve their living standard continuously and enable them to share the benefits brought by information society to mankind.
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