The Center for Education Advancement of the Deaf (CEAD) has been selected to lead the DELITES Project (Deaf Education Language of Instruction and Transition in Education Systems) in the Philippines. Launched in January 2023, the project supports the unique educational needs of Filipino Deaf students. CEAD was chosen after interviews with Dr. Christopher Kurz and Dr. Patrick Graham of RIT-NTID, who met with Ms. Theresa De La Torre, CEAD Director, and Dx. Raphael Domingo, Head of the Deaf Heritage and FSL Studies Unit.
Building on the University of Notre Dame’s LITES Project, DELITES aims to improve second-language literacy for Deaf learners and to identify a model Deaf school in the Philippines to serve as a national benchmark.
According to Dx. Domingo, DELITES will gather data through system interviews, diagnostic workshops, and case studies to examine language policy, implementation, and challenges in sign language education. Results will be presented to the Department of Education to inform national policies for Deaf learners.
The initiative aligns with CEAD’s mission to advance Deaf-centered education, research, and development, fostering literacy, numeracy, and well-being among Deaf students through evidence-based strategies and Filipino Sign Language (FSL) learning materials.
