IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION B
Abstract
The demand for inclusive education is more critical than ever, particularly given the growing diversity of student populations. However, many educators report a lack of practical, hands-on experience to effectively manage the complex dynamics of integrated classrooms. This paper presents the development and implementation of an innovative, AI-driven interactive simulator designed to train teachers in inclusive education practices through targeted conversational practice. Unlike static role-playing, this AI simulator focuses on specific types of interactions. Two primary simulation modules were developed: in-depth dialogues with students, and empathic limit-setting. Each scenario is carefully engineered to target specific conversational skills required for effective inclusion. Furthermore, the simulator presents diverse student profiles, each demanding distinct skill applications from the teacher to successfully navigate the interaction. Within this safe, controlled digital environment, teachers receive immediate feedback to foster professional reflection. Currently, the simulator is being deployed in a large-scale pilot program involving approximately 500 teachers working in schools that serve underprivileged and at-risk student populations. This presentation will share preliminary findings from this extensive pilot. Observations and analysis of the data yield valuable insights into teacher behavior. Preliminary findings indicate that educators frequently utilize the simulator as a valuable preparatory tool immediately prior to conducting actual real-world conversations with their students. Most notably, teachers report that interacting with the AI simulator helps them identify their routine reaction patterns and habitual responses to challenging student behaviors, thereby fostering significant professional self-awareness and self-reflection before entering the classroom.
Prof. Michal Razer is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Oranim Academic College of Education, where she founded the M.Ed. program in Inclusive Education and Youth at Risk, as well as the Shaveh Center for Equity and Social Inclusion. She co-founded and directed Metarim, a center training educational and welfare professionals in inclusive practice at Oranim. Razer has over thirty-five years of experience in educational therapeutic interventions in educational systems and developing intervention programs for generating social inclusion in education.
Izabel Ramadan is a lecturer at Oranim Academic College of Education in the Inclusive Education M.Ed. program. For thirty years, her work has focused on advancing educational inclusion within Arab Palestinian society in Israel and enhancing the self-efficacy of educational staff. Linking academic research with intensive field involvement, Izabel developed a culturally adapted intervention model for at-risk students. She authored two guidebooks, “Crossing the Emotional Barrier” (2018) and “Introspective Authority” (2021), which focus on empathy, educator authority, and emotional support. Furthermore, she actively mentors school principals, educational counselors, and local municipal staff in inclusive education.
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Thursday 25th June, 2026