Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) was a widely used resource during events related to the 2022 election race, such as the state government candidate debate promoted by Jovem Pan News Natal last Monday (5). Comunicali Central de Libras participated in the event, which was broadcast live on all digital platforms of the Tribuna de Comunicação system. The resource is important to include the more than 2 million Brazilians with hearing loss, as evidenced by the 2019 National Health Survey (PNS) data.

Aldemir Lima, language specialist and owner of Comunicali, believes that in recent years the demand for Libras translators has been noticeable for campaign events, although, he stresses, there is still little investment in this aspect, given the need to make information available to the public in sign language. “During elections, deaf people need to follow all the content in an ideal and accessible form, that is, in their own language,” he explains.

According to him, at present we can talk about inclusiveness in this aspect, but there is still much to be improved. “Today we have access to a lot of information, but only a few of them are adapted for this deaf audience,” he says. The expert highly appreciated the initiative of Tribuna System to bring the resource to the Internet. “This is a big difference, both for the company and for the public, because there is an opportunity to reach a large number of people with the content published there,” he emphasizes.

During the debate on the 5th, two interpreters from the Comunicali acted to bring the message to the public that has any kind of hearing impairment. “All content there is no longer restricted and made available to deaf audiences. This is an initiative that needs to be stimulated,” Lima encourages. Here he draws attention to the gaps in the use of sign language in all sectors of society.

“Despite recent achievements, there is still much to be improved. More investment is needed to ensure better accessibility in all environments. If a deaf person goes to a doctor, a supermarket or a shopping center, they need these places to be accessible,” notes Aldemir Lima.

Brazilian Sign Language (Libra) is a sign communication used by the deaf, officially recognized as a means of communication and expression. To communicate in Libra, it is not enough just to know the signs. It is necessary to understand the grammar of the language in order to correctly connect sentences, establishing a connection.

There are interpreters in election programs, TV commercials and social networks. Engaging these professionals to interpret political debates ensures that at least 2.3 million people (or 1.1% of Brazilians aged 2 and over) with hearing impairments have the tools to help them make their voting decisions.

public places

Comunicali currently has 16 translators: one team works for the Central de Libras, which services the company, and another team serves the general public on legal issues, in addition to translators who work in the field of political affairs. “The company is in the public sector, in places like offices, offices and surgical procedures. The Municipality of Natal in contracts for this and Central de Libras is very active today,” defines Aldemir Lima, the owner of the company.

In addition, Comunicali Central de Libras has created a platform for working with private companies and freelancers. Comunicali appeared in June 2020 due to the need for a large number of people connected to the Internet. “With social isolation, the demand for the deaf has also increased. So, we created an online platform, and several companies decided to join our services,” says the specialist.

Central de Libras currently serves companies in the northern and northeastern regions of Brazil. “When a client enters a certain environment and needs help in Libras, the company uses a platform where the translator provides a service in real time. To do this, simply click on the platform link. In addition, Comunicali is involved in event communication and print content interpretation for schools,” says Lima. He explains that the use of printed materials occurs when a person needs to access information in Portuguese, such as medicine leaflets. In this case, all content is completely translated to Libras.

For those who want to work in the field of Brazilian Sign Language, Aldemir Lima explains that there are undergraduate courses – Letras Libras – or specializations that guarantee the ability to work professionally in the country. Lima, who has a degree in teaching, is also a Libra Specialist at the Metropolitan Faculty of São Paulo (FAMEESP).