LIBRASGRAM: software educacional de português para surdos

Abstract

Teaching Portuguese to deaf students is a challenge that demands effort from both teachers and learners due to the structural differences between sign language and Portuguese. Libras, being a visual-spatial language with its own grammar, makes learning Portuguese more complex. The interaction of deaf individuals with Portuguese is often marked by linguistic, social, and cultural conflicts, and although Libras is officially recognized in Brazil, written Portuguese remains mandatory. Therefore, researchers in the field advocate for bilingual education, in which Libras is taught as a first language (L1) and Portuguese as a second language (L2). This study analyzes the creation and implementation of LIBRASGRAM, a gamified software developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which incorporates mechanics such as drag-and-drop, animations, and visual feedback to promote dynamic and engaging learning. The adopted methodology was a case study combined with agile software development, based on usability testing and feedback from deaf students. During testing, it became evident that the presence of a sign language interpreter was essential for mediation, and participants encountered difficulties in sentence construction, suggesting improvements such as the inclusion of gradual hints. The results indicate that, despite the challenges, the inclusion of interactive elements and the active participation of deaf users in the development process significantly contributed to the effectiveness and accessibility of the application, which can be used in classrooms and future research on the subject.