This article presents results from a broader study with LIBRAS - Brazilian Sign Language translators/interpreters (BSLIs) that work in Higher Education (HE). The study highlights the profile of professionals who work in higher education, demonstrating how varied are the contexts of different regions where they work, their ages, their educational background, how they became BSLIs, how they began their work at Institutions of Higher Education (IHE), among other factors. In this context, our main focus is on aspects of their training and current practice. The study is based on interviews and the results varied greatly, showing that there are different profiles and specificities in the processes by which they chose to work as interpreters. Considering the current Brazilian university context and education policies that defend inclusion of people with disabilities attending higher education courses, in this case, deaf students, it is important to point out that inclusion requires the presence of a professional to mediate communication relations between deaf and hearing people, in order to enable deaf people to construct knowledge in the educational environment. BSLIs are among the professionals working to implement practices of inclusive education; as established by the 5.626 Decree, they are the professionals responsible for the linguistic accessibility of deaf students from elementary education to higher education, interpreting Portuguese to LIBRAS and vice-versa. A better understanding of BSLIs' professional itineraries and profiles and their work on HE may contribute to reflecting about the requirements for preparing this professional in order for them to practice in bilingual inclusion processes of deaf students in Higher Education.
Special Education; Brazilian Sign Language Translator; Higher Education; Bilingual Inclusion
