A necessidade da legalização do signwriting e sua importância para a comunidade surda

Abstract

In recent decades, advancing discussions on bilingual education and the linguistic rights of deaf individuals have highlighted the central role of Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) as a language of instruction, identity, and knowledge production. However, despite the legal recognition of Libras in Brazil, there remains a lack of an officially regulated written form, which limits the full exercise of literacy, linguistic autonomy, and social participation for the deaf community. Problem: the need to understand why SignWriting—a system capable of graphically recording sign languages—has not yet been legally recognized in the country, and to examine the impacts of this absence on the educational and sociocultural spheres. Rationale: the urgent need to expand the debate on linguistic citizenship, educational equity, and the guarantee of historically neglected rights. General objective: to emphasize the need for the legalization of SignWriting by highlighting the challenges, progress made, and its importance in strengthening the linguistic citizenship of the deaf community. Methodology: this is a bibliographic study based on the analysis of books, scientific articles, official documents, and legislation, sourced from databases such as SciELO, CAPES Periódicos, Google Scholar, and institutional repositories. Results: findings indicate that, although SignWriting is already significantly used in pedagogical practices, cultural productions, and educational materials, its lack of regulation prevents its systematic incorporation into curricula, public policies, and formal teaching processes. Conclusion: the legalization of SignWriting is essential to ensure the right to literacy in one's native language, strengthen the linguistic and cultural identity of the deaf community, and promote greater equity in access to education and text production, thereby contributing to the development of inclusive and socially just educational practices.