A educação bilíngue de surdos na Lei no 14.191/2021: histórico, implementação e percepções de lideranças surdas

Abstract

This research aims to analyze Law No. 14,191, of August 3, 2021, considering the history of its drafting and approval, as well as the challenges related to its implementation from the perspective of Deaf leadership. The study is grounded in research on language policies and minority groups (Lagares, 2018), Deaf Studies (Skliar, 1997), and works on bilingual education and bilingual education for the Deaf (Rezende; Campello, 2014; Reis; Lima, 2022; Peluso; Lodi, 2023). Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative approach, characterized as exploratory, documentary, and bibliographic. Data collection included bibliographic and documentary research, as well as semi-structured interviews with two individuals affiliated with the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) − specifically with the Directorate of Bilingual Education Policies for the Deaf (DIPEBS) and the National Commission on Bilingual Education for the Deaf (CNEBS) − and two Deaf leaders from the National Federation of Deaf Education and Integration (FENEIS) who participated in political movements advocating for the approval of Law n° 14,191/2021. The results indicate that Law n° 14,191/2021 has historical roots in decades of advocacy by the Deaf community and related organizations. The findings reveal that political pressure and community organization led to the formalization of proposals such as Law No. 14,191/2021, which introduced significant changes to the National Education Guidelines and Framework Law (LDB) by incorporating Bilingual Education for the Deaf as an educational modality. Participants highlighted the need for complementary actions, including the development of specific guidelines, the creation of teaching materials, the establishment of public bilingual schools, and the adaptation of public policies for effective implementation. The study also found that the Deaf community holds a mixed perspective on the Brazilian Sign Language Law (Law no 10.436/2002) and Bilingual Education, acknowledging their importance while also identifying limitations and challenges in their implementation. Lastly, the analysis of documents and interviews revealed that Bilingual Education for the Deaf has historically faced tensions with Inclusive Education in Brazil. While Inclusive Education often adopts a monolingual and Eurocentric perspective, Bilingual Education promotes the recognition of Libras as the first language and written Portuguese as the second language, aiming to address the linguistic and cultural specificities of the Deaf community.