A educação do surdo em minas gerais: aspectos legais

Abstract

The history of deaf education in the state of Minas Gerais still lacks writing and research. Although long-lasting, the scholarlization of deaf people within the local context is little known. Starting with Ponce de Leon (1520-1584), who was known for his teaching methods through recognizing sign language, later going through Abbot L’Epée (1712-1789), who also was prominent in the history of deaf education, several other characters gained highlight in this story. In Brazil, the most important early event indeaf scholarlization was the establishment of an institute for the deaf and mute in the state of Rio de Janeiro (Instituto dos Surdos-Mudos do Rio de Janeiro), currently the national institude of education for the deaf (Instituto Nacional de Educação dos Surdos –INES). That was due to the influence of Eduard Huet with Emperor Pedro II. The objective of this research is to gather all legal aspects dealing with the scholarlization of deaf people –both in national legislation and in Minas Gerais state law. This is part of a wider study that has the intention of recovering documents and registries that discuss the education of deaf people in the state of Minas Gerais. To this end, primary sources are located in Memorial Helena Antipoff, in the city of Ibirité, as well as in the Helena Antipoff room within the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) main library, as well as other special schools in the city of Belo Horizonte. This study is inserted in a nationwide research intitled Portal Pioneiros da Educação Especial no Brasil: personagens, instituições e práticas(“pioneers of special education in Brazil: characters, institutions, practices”) which aims to recover the memory of special education in each Brazilian state. The current stage of this study entails only the national/state legislations.