TEACHER TRAINING AND INCLUSION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN TEACHING LIBRAS IN SCHOOLS

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze the challenges and opportunities faced by education professionals in the context of teacher training and inclusion of deaf students in schools, with a focus on teaching LIBRAS. The methodology adopted was qualitative and descriptive and was conducted with a sample of 18 education professionals who work in public schools. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires, and data analysis used the content analysis technique. The results revealed that teachers face difficulties related to superficial training in LIBRAS, lack of adequate material resources, diversity of fluency levels among deaf students, and challenges in implementing public inclusion policies. The lack of continuous training and the scarcity of specific teaching materials were pointed out as the main obstacles to the effectiveness of teaching LIBRAS. However, participants also highlighted some opportunities, such as increasing the receptiveness of the school community to inclusion and the support of partnerships with LIBRAS interpreters. Continuous training was considered essential for teachers to feel prepared for the challenges of inclusive education, and the use of interactive technologies was considered an advance in the teaching process, although with limitations in its formal integration into pedagogical practices. The coexistence between deaf and hearing students, although positive, still faces difficulties in socialization, and many teachers emphasized the need for a collective effort, where all educators, not just those specialized, must be trained to meet the demands of inclusion. In conclusion, the research showed that, despite advances, the inclusion of deaf students in schools requires improvements in teacher training, greater access to pedagogical resources, and a continuous effort to ensure quality and effective education for all.