This dissertation deals with the two languages of the deaf, sign language and Swedish. The aim of the dissertation can be expressed in four questions:

• What ideas about the deaf and his or her education were influential during various time periods from 1809 to 1990 and what were the reactions of the deaf to the influence of these ideas?

• What were the opinions of the teachers on introduction of bilingual education?

• What was the pattern of communication in the schools for the deaf when bilingual education was introduced?

• What function is fulfilled by bilingualism in the recognition of the deaf from an equality perspective?

Four historical periods are analysed. The first has its focus on the mental development of the deaf (The "Spiritual" Man) and the conflict between sign and oral language education. The second period was dominated by oral language and technical audiological assistance (The "Bodily" Man). Johan Prawitz was opposed to this one-sided approach and argued that the deaf needed two languages separated from each other (sign language and Swedish). The third period stressed the necessity to integrate all children in mainstream education (The "Integrated" Man). The deaf defended the special schools and the importance of sign language. The last period is characterized by bilingualism. The Swedish society acknowledged the sign language as the primary language for the deaf (The "Bilingual" Man). During this period sign language was implemented in the special school. Both teacher experiences and classroom interaction have been documented.

This historical material has been analysed using a power and communicative approach, referring to Michel Foucault and Jürgen Habermas.

Finally, the results are discussed from a defectological as well as an intersubjective point of view.