BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The cares and regards disabled persons need most are respect, understanding and equality, said Zhou Ye, a veteran of special education, after Friday's Paralympic torch relay.

    "It's for sure the disabled persons should get more cares and concerns. What's the best care for them? I think it's the respect, understanding and equality," said Zhou, the last torchbearer in Beijing's Paralympic torch relay.

    Zhou, 45, was entitled to light the cauldron among 120 torch carriers. Zhou is the headmaster of Special Education School in Dongcheng District of Beijing. She has been working on special education for 25 years and won the title of "Top Ten Youths in Beijing".

    "As a teacher and manager on special education, I really hope the world can give more and more cares to the special group, but we need to know what's the care they need," said Zhou.

    "I'm so pleased to see that's what happening in China. Cares and concerns are flowing to the disabled in China and more and more people are generous to them."

    "I hope the disabled can get inspiration from the Paralympic athletes, learning their spirit of fighting against hardship. The disabled persons need to be themselves and face challenge in confidence and faith," added Zhou.

    Zhou became a teacher for students without hearing ability 25 years ago out of her father's suggestion. Zhou's father thought the special education received little attention at that time, so it got a lot of things to explore and a big space to expand.

    What really triggered her affection for the job was an experience of cares. In the second year working as a teacher of special education, Zhou got sick one day and had to stay away from class for a couple of days. The next day, Zhou found a group of children appeared in the yard. They were all her students bringing various medicines for her, not knowing her exact illness.

    Her students walked all the way to her home from noon to dusk. It needed just half an hour to take a bus from the school to her home, but those students, without hearing and speaking ability, had to take a walk.

    "This teaches me how to treat others. I was determined to be a good teacher in special education at that moment," recalled Zhou.

    In the past years working as a special instructor, Zhou had been teaching Chinese language for 14 years. Then having been in charge of classes for 7 years before she was appointed as the school education director and now the school headmaster.

    Over years of teaching Chinese language for the deaf, Zhou has tapped a special teaching method of language recovery for those in deafness.

    "A mother of my student told me what she frightens most was her disabled daughter is stared at and greeted in compassion," said Zhou. "What the disabled persons need is equality. You just need to treat them as the healthy."

    "We don't need to pay special attention to their special part. In this way, the disabled persons can feel equality.

    "A lot of athletes coming to Beijing for the Paralympics, probably they are able to do everything we are able to and they don't need much help in life actually, but don't forget to smile and applaud for them," said Zhou.