This week's entry in the deafness around the world serial visits Brazil.
Associations
The primary organization for the deaf in Brazil is the Federacao Nacional de Educacao e Integracao dos Surdos (FENEIS). FENEIS works to improve education, employment, and interpreting services. The association also focuses on deaf awareness and provides training in sign language.
There are also other deaf associations in Brazil such as:
- Associação dos Deficientes Auditivos de Curitiba (Association of Deficient the Auditory ones of Curitiba)
- Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Surdos (Association of Parents and Friends of the Deaf people)
- Associação de Surdos de Curitiba-Pr (Association of Deaf people of Curitiba-Pr)
- Sociedade dos Surdos de Caxias do Sul (Society of the Deaf people of Caxias of the South)
- Sociedade dos Surdos do Rio Grande do Sul (Society of the Deaf people of the Rio Grande Do Sul)
Education
FENEIS has a comprehensive listing of schools for the deaf and programs for the deaf in Brazil by region. Visitors are asked to submit data on any missing schools or programs.
Missionaries/Religion
Missionary organizations continue to do work with deaf people in Brazil. One example is Youth With a Mission, which takes deaf children from Brazilian slums and teaches them language.
Sign Language
Brazil's sign language is known as the Lingua de Sinais do Brasil (LIBRAS). LIBRAS is so well established that there are Brazilian sign language dictionaries available: A digital dictionary of Brazilian sign language. (Information available on the website of FENEIS)
A Brazilian signwriting dictionary from the Signwriting organization.
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