INCLUSION OF DEAF STUDENTS IN THE EARLY YEARS: CHALLENGES AND PERCEPTIONS OF LIBRAS TEACHING IN FORTALEZA, CE

Abstract

This study focuses on the issue of individuals with hearing impairment in the current socio-educational context, with a focus on the integration and inclusion of these individuals in regular schools in Fortaleza, CE. It is a segment of a master's dissertation that investigates the difficulties in communication in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) from the perspective of inclusive education in the early years of elementary school, with an emphasis on the role of teachers in the effective inclusion of deaf children in regular schools. The methodology used was qualitative and exploratory, characterized as a case study. Ten educators from different municipal educational institutions in Fortaleza, CE, representing various micro-regions and neighborhoods, were interviewed. Despite socio-economic and cultural variations, all these professionals share a commitment to the inclusion of deaf students, emphasizing the challenges, the actions that have been implemented for the inclusion of deaf children, and the need for bilingual education in the context of regular schooling.