DEVELOPING EMPATHY IN RELATION TO DISABILITY THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS: THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM IN SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
<doi>10.24250/jpe/2/2025/AFR/</doi>
Keywords:
inclusive education, empathy, disability, educational projects, multidisciplinary team, awareness, educational simulation, children with special educational needs (SEN)Abstract
Promoting empathy towards individuals with disabilities is
a key objective of inclusive education, with direct effects on
reducing stigmatization and fostering positive social
relationships within the school environment. This paper
examines the impact of two applied educational projects:
“Disabilities Explained to Children” and “Disabilities
Explained to Teenagers” implemented in Arad County
between 2021 and 2025. These projects were developed
through the effective collaboration of a multidisciplinary
team (including support teachers, school counselors,
speech therapists, and classroom teachers) and were based
on experiential learning activities, thematic short films,
and disability-simulation activities or games. The data
analysis indicates a significant increase in student and
teacher participation, reflecting enhanced receptiveness to
the topic of disability and a strengthened culture of
inclusion within the participating schools. The results
confirm the potential of these projects to generate genuine
attitudinal change and support the need for their
adaptation and expansion in other educational
communities, through locally sustained initiatives and
coherent institutional support.
