LIBRAS E ESPAÇO CULTURAL UNIVERSITÁRIO NA PRIMEIRA TURMA DE PEDAGOGIA PARA SURDOS DA UDESC: DEPOIMENTOS DE EGRESSOS SURDOS

This research aims to recover memories and evidence of impacts from the creation of the first Education course for the deaf at the University of the State of Santa Catarina -UDESC. As a methodology, a study was carried out on materials, texts and articles published about the course, as well as interviews and testimonies from graduates and people involved in the creation process were collected. As a result, it was possible to see that the Education course for the deaf provided deaf people with access to the university environment, valuing Braziliian Sign Language (Libras) as a language of instruction, in a perspective of bilingual education. Moreover, 44% of graduates continued their studies, becoming specialists, masters and doctors. Therefore, the contribution of UDESC as a pioneer in the advancement of deaf education in Santa Catarina is evident.