UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS AT THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TRIÂNGULO MINEIRO (UFTM) AND BRAZILIAN SIGN LANGUAGE: A DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze the primary sources of the documents that form the basis for Brazilian Sign Language and bilingual education at the federal level: (1) Law No. 10,436/2002; Decree No. 5,626/2005; Law No. 12,319/2010; Law No. 13,005/2014; Law No. 13,146/2015; and Law No. 14,191/2021. To compare these with the Curriculum Matrix and the Pedagogical Policy Statement of the Bachelor’s degree programs at the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM). The aim is to examine how the two documents align with the legislation and, thus, assess the commitment of the teacher education offered by the institution. The study draws on classic authors who form the basis of most academic research on the topic from a socio-anthropological perspective: Quadros (1998; 2005); Quadros and Schmiedt (2006); Quadros and Perlin (2007); Perlin (2016; 2006); and Skliar (1998). Methodologically, this is a qualitative, exploratory, and documentary study. The results indicate that a culture of “Ouvintismo” prevails in the curricula of UFTM’s teacher education programs, relegating visual pedagogy to a secondary category. Maintaining token course loads for Libras (30 hours) violates the spirit of Law 14.191/2021, as it creates a false sense of inclusion, where the teacher holds a degree but remains “silent” in the presence of deaf students. It is imperative that teacher education programs reformulate their Course Pedagogical Projects (CPPs), transforming the Libras course into a central pillar of visual and bilingual pedagogical practices, moving beyond the notion of “adaptation” to achieve “linguistic equity.”