Recognized as a legal means of communication and expression since 2002<\/a>, Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) is an important tool of inclusion for people with hearing impairment. For this reason, various projects have sought to expand knowledge of this language, which has its own grammatical structure and well-defined syntactic and pragmatic norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is exactly the purpose of the outreach project called \u201cBrincar Sinalizante<\/a>\u201d (loosely translated here as \u201cPlayful Signaling\u201d), which holds weekly meetings where participants play games and have conversations in sign language. During UFRGS Portas Abertas, the project held a workshop featuring games in Libras, such as the telephone game, in which players are arranged in two lines and receive a sign that had to be passed along until it reached the last person. The game was more than just a playful activity; it demonstrated the complexity and richness of sign language, and how it requires practice to keep it from falling into disuse, as any other language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Libras also has regional variations and unique expressions. The state of Rio Grande do Sul, for example, is the only region to have signs for the words \u201cmother\u201d and \u201cfather,\u201d point out professors Camila Goes and Erika Vanessa Silva, who are both involved in the project. Furthermore, communication involves not only the use of hands, but also facial expressions that give meaning to what is being transmitted. In Libras, there are also accents and translation issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLanguage, as a transfer process, is the human ability to communicate through various means: verbal\/written language is one of them\u201d<\/p>\nErika Vanessa Silva<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n At the University, the Libras 1 course is mandatory for the Speech Therapy and Teacher degree programs. Its purpose is to explore the use of the language in different contexts and through various discursive genres, as well as to discuss aspects of educational policies for the deaf in Brazil. The Libras 2 course, on the other hand, is a way to stay in touch with the language and participate in Libras outreach projects as a teaching assistant or a junior fellow in a fellowship program. One of such projects is called \u201cLibras em Ambiente Virtual (Libras in a Virtual Environment<\/em>),\u201d offered by the School of Education (Faced). The project’s website<\/a> provides a sign chart including a manual alphabet of letters and numbers, a signed glossary, and categorized signs, among other resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tatiana Saggin works at the Office of Human Resources (Progesp) and participated in the first session of the \u201cBrincar Sinalizante\u201d workshops at UFRGS Portas Abertas. She is currently completing her training in the Braille system, a tactile reading and writing system used by people with visual impairments, and she plans to continue her studies in Brazilian Sign Language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI recognize the importance of inclusion in my line of work, especially when assisting colleagues with disabilities. My interest in learning other ways to communicate stems from a desire to help not only those colleagues, but also my fellow staff members who provide translation and interpreting services.\u201d<\/p>\nTatiana Saggin<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u201cSign baptism\u201d is a term used in Deaf culture that refers to the moment when a person or organization receives their unique identifying sign. The criteria for this choice include physical and\/or expressive characteristics, as well as accessories used, among other factors. The naming ritual is a recognition of entrance into the deaf community, which encompasses the group of hearing and deaf people who are politically active in defending the rights of the deaf and in combating prejudice and discrimination, such as parents, teachers, friends, interpreters, and advocates for the cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deaf culture is defined as the way in which deaf people understand the world and adapt it to make it more accessible and easier to live in. According to the booklet \u201cEntendendo o universo surdo para al\u00e9m da surdez<\/a>,\u201d (Understanding the Deaf Universe Beyond Deafness<\/em>), available on the EduCAPES website, this is achieved by adapting reality to their visual perceptions, which contribute to the definition of deaf identities and the \u2018essence\u2019 of deaf communities. The material is the outcome of Neuraide Moraes Marinho’s thesis in the Graduate Program in Rural Extension at the Federal University of S\u00e3o Francisco Valley (UNIVASF). The booklet is designed to be accessible to the general public and is available in multiple formats: PDF text document, audio file, and video in Libras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UFRGS and its campuses, as members of the deaf community, have their own Libras sign. It represents the flame from the University\u2019s logo and, for example, was used during the inauguration of the new UFRGS Administration mandate during the interpretation service rendered by the Incluir team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\nBaptism in Libras<\/h5>\n\n\n\n