The importance of sign language for the development of the deaf person: the notion of inclusion associated to the sense of belonging in the school environment

Abstract

This article aims to elucidate concepts related to the person with hearing disability, such as the disability itself and the sign language. Considering the school as one of the most important spaces for coexistence of children (deaf and hearing) and the sense of belonging that a person can develop in relation to the school, a brief analysis of the three main proposals of deaf education will be presented, to then establish a link between sign language and its importance for the development of the deaf person (especially in cases of pre-linguistic deafness), in order to facilitate their process of social inclusion. It is concluded that the school, being both a space of knowledge construction as of bonding, is the ideal place to relate school subjects to deaf culture, and encourage hearing people to learn sign language from an early age - and through efficient communication between people with and without disabilities, promote a truly inclusive environment.