The trajectory of adults with deafness in Brazil
Claudio Roberto Baptista, Carlos Henrique Ramos Soares
This article analyses the personal and scholastic trajectory of people with deafness in the Brazilian context. We
are proposing a reflection on the concept of deafness as a largely cultural phenomenon, associated with sign
language, and with the consequences that justify maintaining specialised deafness schools. The study aims to
problematise the polarisation between this cultural perspective and the one that encourages common socialisation
spaces for all individuals. The examples analysed have shown us that the success of these programmes
depends on an appreciation of relationship history and of institutional possibilities that should encourage
social participation and communication.
Keywords
Special education, disability, deafness, identity
