Sign Language Interpreters/Translators and the National Inclusive Education in Bilingual Contexts for the Deaf: A Study of the Reality of Public Schools in Parana

Abstract

Sign language interpreters/translators gain prominence in the educational policies scene as the professionals, par excellence, who provide deaf students with linguistic accessibility in their inclusive educational process. In the midst of numerous advances in the legal context, especially after Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) was officially recognized in 2002, there remain gaps related to the right to bilingual education for deaf people regarding the real effectiveness of those professionals in the actual territory of the schools. This article seeks to elucidate this reality by presenting the profile of sign language interpreters/translators, who work in public schools in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, through the analysis of their training and working conditions in the context of inclusive education policies. The research has a qualitative and quantitative approach, presenting data collected in two research contexts: the official consultation with the Secretary of State of Education of Parana, responsible for state policy, and interviews with Libras interpreters/translators. Twenty-nine cities, comprehending Curitiba and its metropolitan region, were selected for this study for representing the expressive population of the State of Paraná. The analysis of the profile and working conditions of those professionals showed that the greatest challenges present in the concrete reality of the schools rest on the professional training and the linguistic proficiency required for their performance. Developments of these two aspects materialize indicators in the evaluation of the quality of the Brazilian national inclusive education policy in bilingual contexts for deaf students.