Since I was told to turn my suggestion into something productive, I wrote a letter that is to be sent to Department of Education in the Philippines (I have copied and pasted it for you to read whether it  gets accepted or not so you can see what I've been up to).

THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT: Changing Deaf Filipinos Lives

[Note: The Butterfly Project is set up to Change Deaf Filipinos Lives. The Butterfly is reflected as the Deaf individual since butterflies are Deaf. The three circles reflect identity and what factors that influences who we are as individuals. They are in a form of a tree since Ash Trees reflect sensitivity and high awareness].

Dear Dr. Dulangon,

I would like to request for your approval in setting up the project called "The Butterfly Project." This project is aimed at Special Education Schools (SPed), both in Elementary and High schools. In the future, we hope to expand the project and for it to be aimed at all ages such as adults in vocational/life skills.

The aim is to attend to the schools and give Deaf pupils as well as teachers a sense of awareness and empowerment in SPed education.

Introducing the definition of identity and how it is shaped. It can give Deaf pupils an understanding of their own learning methods (Visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic).

Also teachers, in using different learning approaches to meet the needs of Deaf students can benefit their teaching as a whole. Since identity is broken into different categories such as self-identity, boundary, world view and self esteem, we will be teaching them in modules over a period of time.

Below is a list of justifications to why this project should be set up:

1. As an individual, having a psychological understanding of self, groups and social systems can help us examine our own learning approaches. Mobilizing identities in the classroom is a necessary part of progressive educators efforts to transform knowledge-making and to create a more self-governing society.

2. Education identity represents a formal side of who they are. Their skills, academic achievements, interest, aspirations, and all the things they're proud of - both in and out of school. Unlike representations of their social identity, their education identity is not aimed at their peers, but at the people who will offer opportunitties and help them to develop - teachers, universities, parents and potential employers. It defines a students ability to engage with their education and their life, and it is the identity from which they derive their own self-worth -making it one of the most important things a school can develop.

3. Someone that knows what they want to become and who they definitely do not want to be has a sense of identity. Based on current studies, Deaf people in the Philippines are known not to achieve compared to their hearing counterparts. That's one sense of identity that can have an impact on their lives.

4. Since Identity is shaped by age, gender, race and life experiences, it can have an effect on how others perceive you as well as yourself. So for instance, as a Deaf individual we are perceived to be Deaf-mute and it can have an influence in how we perceive ourselves. There is also the 6 W's: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. "How" has always been an issue when discussing problems they face in the Deaf community and as a Deaf person. But how is the main W that can make an immense change to the lives of Deaf Filipinos. Promoting The Butterfly Project can give them a sense of empowerment and recognize what it is they want from life as a whole and how they can go about in achieving them.

5. Deaf role models are absent in the Philippines and since there are 90% Deaf Filipinos that come from hearing families and 60% teachers that are hearing, encouraging Deaf awareness in the classroom, to teachers as well as the Deaf students themselves can help both parties understand a sense of empowerment in pushing barriers and trying new things - parents, teachers as well as society will be asking for this, and the SPed students need it too. (We plan to have Deaf filipinos provide these workshops so they can compare and contrast life experiences. The volunteer facilitators will be seen as role models for current and future students. Interpreters can be provided if necessary).

There is a lack of research in Deaf Education, so the understanding of Deaf Identity and education is limited. Promoting this project can give SPed teachers a unique insight into Deaf students developing educational identity, allowing them (teachers) to continually challenge students throughout their school life, and to use their successes in certain areas to encourage achievement elsewhere.

(The letter was slightly altered. Such as "certain areas" (in achievment) and "volunteer facilitators" (not just focusing on Deaf role models). This could be taken badly, but realistically its the horrid truth).