A teacher works with a student to improve his coordination. [Photo by Peng Ke'er/China Daily]

At Yangcheng Special Education School in Yangcheng county, North China's Shanxi province, a girl named Xiaoyang confidently performed a poem using sign language.

"When my daughter was 3 years old, we found out that she had hearing and growth problems," said the girl's mother. After six years of schooling, Xiaoyang has grown a lot, from being unable to communicate with others to being able to express herself clearly and showing potential as an artist.

Children learn to cook at Yangcheng Special Education School. [Photo by Peng Ke'er/China Daily]

There are many children like Xiaoyang, with mental or physical health problems, enjoying happy and meaningful school time due to Yangcheng Special Education School's efforts. 

According to the school principal Li Junli, the Yangcheng Special Education School began student enrollment in 2014 and is a full-time boarding school providing nine years of basic education for children with special needs. With 76 students and 20 teachers, the school focuses on teaching students to take care of themselves and gain cultural knowledge, so as to lay the foundation for better survival and personal development. 

A teacher from Yangcheng Special Education School teaches a students at the student's home. [Photo by Peng Ke'er/China Daily]

Among the 76 students, 26 are learning from home. "We determine the number and content of teaching according to the specific situation of students," said Wang Xiaoneng, head teacher at the school. 

Over the past 6 years, teachers at the school have visited students' homes in 23 villages and sent educational services more than 1,800 times, to ensure that local children with physical or mental disabilities can enjoy a fair and quality education.

The school will next open vocational classes, set up courses such as computer application, massage, food nutrition and hygiene, and cooking skills, to help the children master more life and work skills. 

Peng Ke'er contributed to this story.