June 9th, 1961, Mr. Chen I-Chun was born in the city of Keelung, Taiwan. He is the third child of his family, with two brother and two sisters. In the year of 1965, when he was just 4 years old, he lost his hearing in a high fever. Nonetheless, in 1973, he graduated from the Shin-yi Elementary School with all other classmates who were normal children. To note, when he was a six grader there, he became the pitcher of the school’s baseball team.

While he was of school age, his parents sent him to study with normal children in a normal primary school, hoping that in the future he could become a full member of the society. That began his study in the Shin-yi Elementary School in the city of Keelung. There, without any special pedagogical assistance, he fulfilled all the requirements only through his own efforts, carried out with much diligence and perseverance. After graduation, he went on to the Mingchuan Junior High School; he was a member of the school’s basketball team there.

In 1980, after a year in the Keelung High School, he transferred to the Kaiming Junior College of Commerce and Engineering. He ranked the third of his graduation class in Mechanical Engineering, and was awarded the nationally certified license.

In 1982, certified Third Degree in Taekwan-Do, silver medallist in the Asian Youth Cup.

After Mingchuan Junior High School, he passed the high school entrance exam successfully and was enrolled in the Keelung High School. He showed excellent sportsmanship in Taekwan-Do and acquired Level of Third Degree, which made him a member of the National Team competing in the Asian Youth Cup. His parents hoped that he could become a licensed technician in order to make a living for his future, which he did when he graduated the third of his class from Kaiming High School of Commerce and Engineering. After graduation, he had served for two years as apprentice in a factory. He was never satisfied with the life he was having and he wanted to continue his education. He has shown his determination and aspirations during this time.

In 1985, Chen I-Chun passed the National College Entrance Exam for Handicapped Students and enrolled in Pingdong College of Agriculture, graduated with a major in Animal Husbandry. During the years of college, although his professors never spared him warm encouragement, he was yet never short of challenges and difficulties. For instance, because of his deafness, the grammar and structure of his papers could not match the level of normal students, which made his professor of Modern History fail him three times in a roll. Nevertheless, there could be no better evidence of his extraordinary determination and perseverance than the successful completion of his College Degree. After College, his family planned to have him open and manage a ranch in Taiwan. But the lack of land resources in Taiwan could not make the dream work. In the later years, he had thought about different trades: apprentice in a bakery, a seal engraver, and even learned to be a chef. But he had never lost faith in his intellectual abilities, and hardships could only strengthen his will to aim higher in the academic ladder.

In 1986, I-Chun graduated from Professional Computer Training Program sponsored by Taiwan’s Institute of Information Industry (III).

In 1987, I-Chun baptized in Taipei Ching-guang Church.

In 1991, I-Chun graduated from the Gallaudet University with a BS degree in Computer Science. Specialized in computerized multi-media education for the deaf.

I-Chun started to prepare for the TOEFL test when he was in college, his professors and the Department Chair supported and encouraged him. In 1986, he finally got the admission letter from the Gallaudet University, the best deaf university in the world. He began his life as a foreign student in the US in a small apartment he rented with his classmates in a poor neighborhood of Washington DC. During his five years at the Gallaudet University, he spent a lot of time improving his English, exploring different subjects, and after two years of study, chose to major in Computer Science since it was the field in which he had both great interest and talent. What is worth noticing is that it was during his stay at the Gallaudet University that he, for the first time in his life, could have the special class support and services for the deaf people. For the first time in his life, he could use sign language in the classroom.

In 1993, worked for NIH as a computer programmer.

In 1997, he won the overseas scholarship for excellent handicapped students offered for the first time by Taiwan Ministry of Education, passed the GRE exam, later graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology (R.I.T.), with a Master Degree in Science.

During I-Chun’s years of education in the US, he always had special sign language assistance in class, which had greatly helped him in his studies towards a MS degree in Computer Science. After R.I.T., he worked for a year in a research unit of FDA.

R.I.T. is a world-renowned institution not only in computer science, but also for its active cooperation in the field of education for deaf people. I-Chun was fortunate in R.I.T., and his three-year study was fully funded by the first-of-its-kind overseas scholarship for handicapped students from Taiwan Ministry of Education. His Master’s thesis was on Multimedia Software for the teaching of American Sign Language. It was an excellent research project for the education of the deaf, which could seamlessly integrate multimedia technologies and sign language instruction. I-Chun’s educational achievements were outstanding not only in Taiwan, but also among the community of deaf people in the US. He was already a legendary figure in Taiwan’s deaf communities.

In 1998, returned to work in Taiwan as web developer and software engineer for Taipei Youguan Computer Company.

In 1999, he has become a teacher of computer science in the Taipei Deaf School, also taught American Sign Language, computer and English classes in the Eden Foundation for the Handicapped, Chinese Deaf Association, Home of Sign Language and Shenghui Association. He was also the director of the International Division in the Taiwan’s Sports Association for the Handicapped.

I-Chun had very good prospects to find a professional position in the US with his backgrounds and educational experiences. But he always harbored in his mind the thought to serve his country and he determined to return after graduation. He found a good position in a computer company in Taiwan within two months. In his spare time, he taught classes in the Eden Foundation for the Handicapped and Home of Sign Language, including courses in computer science. During this period, he started teaching computer courses in the Taipei Deaf School. He finally resigned his position in the computer company and after talking with his family, decided to become a full-time teacher in the school. He was a wonderful teacher there; he was loved by all the students who looked up to him as their role model. He had had a wonderful time at the Taipei Deaf School.

Because of his interests and experiences in the US, he has become a model for Taiwan’s community of deaf people. His expertise in computer technologies, English and American and Taiwan Sign Languages made him an able leader among this community. Last year, he succeeded the position of associate director in the Chinese Deaf Association. He also served as the director of the International Division in Taiwan’s Sports Association for the Handicapped. He had taken part in many service works during sports events for the handicapped.

For him, a US Green Card was no longer something important. What he had hoped for was to try his best to contribute to the education of deaf people in Taiwan for another 20 or 30 years of his life.

Aug. 30th, 2000, seriously injured in a traffic accident that happened at midnight. I-Chun passed away on Sept. 9th, 2000 at Taichung Veteran Hospital at the age of 39.

At 11:20pm on Aug. 30th, 2000, on his way back from a Sign Language class at Taichung Shenghui Association, his motorcycle was hit by a high-speed minivan at a crossing near Tanzi area. Due to severe lung damage, he passed away at 2:10pm, Sept. 9th, 2000 and is survived by his mother, two brothers and two sisters. I-Chun returned peacefully to the arms of God and his loving father.