ABSTRACT
Purpose
To describe undergraduates’ perceptions about Libras discipline, regarding its organization and its importance for their professional training, as well as undergraduates’ understanding of Libras and deafness.
Methods
Research was held with 59 undergraduates from two universities located in a city in the South of Brazil, who attended graduation courses and had already attended that discipline, answered a questionnaire about Libras discipline and its organization and purpose.
Results
Undergraduates’ answers show that the organization and purpose of this discipline follow the trend of teaching vocabulary and grammar of the language, instead of broader issues such as deafness, deaf people and inclusion. Most of them claimed that the discipline had a positive impact on their perception about deafness and Libras.
Conclusion
Further studies related to the inclusion of Libras discipline in graduation courses are necessary, so that students not only have contact with the Sign Language as a linguistic system, but also with more comprehensive discussions about deaf education.
Keywords:
Sign language; Higher education; Deafness; Legislation; Educational inclusion