Schooling and children with hearing impairment and deafness

Abstract

The history of education for the deaf in Brazil began in 1857 with the Imperial Institute for Deaf-Mutes and the arrival of Hernest Huet, former director of the Institute for the Deaf in Paris. Huet influenced the development of Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) by introducing a methodology based on his experience in France. It was only in the 1970s that sign language was effectively taught, along with the oral method. The bilingual philosophy gained prominence, recommending that Libras be the first language and Portuguese the second. In 2015, the Commission for the Defense of the Rights of People with Hearing Impairments presented bill 1,361/15 to guarantee unilateral rights for hearing impaired people, resuming prominence in 2022. The Libras Law (10,436/2002) guarantees rights, but research highlights the need to effectively implement teaching in Libras and promote social changes for full inclusion. Despite advances, there remains a long way to go to guarantee bilingual education and transformations in the interaction and participation of the deaf community. This research used bibliographic and documentary research methodology, centered on a socio-historical analysis. It is concluded that, despite the significant advances made in improving the quality of life and building an educational system for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, there is still a long way to go. This is evident in the urgency of more effective implementation of teaching in Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) and the integration of this language into the daily lives of Brazilians.