Regarding the education of deaf students (in Brazil), three conditions have to be met in order to bring qualitative reasoning (QR) models into the classroom: (a) a bilingual education should be provided, the Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) being the first and Portuguese the second language; (b) in the absence of scientific vocabulary in LIBRAS, it has to be created; (c) given the aural impairment, which is cognitively compensated through an over-developed visual ability, a visually oriented pedagogy is needed. This paper describes how qualitative reasoning may provide an adequate scenario to create a vocabulary in sign language for representing scientific concepts while offering support for the integration of visually-oriented models and simulations, and written Portuguese in educational activities. Key words: qualitative models, deaf, science education