China’s State Language Commission has revised the country’s sign language system for the first time since 1963 to better serve people with hearing disabilities.

An official statement issued Friday by the Ministry of Education describes the revision as “more scientific and more standardized.” The ministry said the new system incorporates current research in linguistics, including sign language linguistics, and draws from a 2018 document called the Lexicon of Common Expressions in Chinese National Sign Language.

Though the statement does not give examples of specific changes to the China’s sign language alphabet, it says that one of its primary goals is to improve the quality of education at schools for children with hearing impairments.

Officially, around 28 million people in China have hearing impairments, though some experts say the actual figure could be as high as 72 million. This year, several Chinese cities have ramped up efforts to accommodate people with special needs, many of whom feel cut off from society due to a shortage of skilled interpreters, among other factors.

In March, Shanghai launched a video hotline for people with impaired hearing. And in September, Beijing added a feature to the city’s mobile app that enables people with hearing disabilities to request medical assistance in emergencies. (Image: VCG)