PURPOSE: to analyze the insertion of a sign language discipline in national speech language therapy courses, approaching the number of hours spent with the discipline, the period when its offered, the structure nature, and the students evaluation about this discipline’s contribution for their academic formation. METHOD: a questionnaire was applied to 240 speech language therapy students from seven national speech therapy graduation courses. For that, the insertion criterion adopted was that the students should have already concluded the discipline. The questionnaire was answered, in writing, inside their facilities. The results were quantitative and will be submitted in tables with absolute frequencies. RESULTS: the results show that the students believe that the number of hours spent with the discipline is insufficient; in addition, they are aware about the importance and the need of the sign language discipline. CONCLUSION: this study demonstrates that the discussion about sign language in speech language therapy courses must be broader. The definition of criteria and parameters must also be discussed in order assure learning quality in those contents. The study also shows the need for more research that offers allowance to the advance in the speech language therapy graduation courses in those contents and that also contributes to an advance in bilingual speech therapy clinical, educational and practical needs directed towards the deaf individuals.
Speech; Language and Hearing Sciences; Deafness; Language; Laws; Education
