10/05/2025
Case studies from the implementation of the pilot trainings in Portugal
Case study 1
Initials: AP / Age: 27
Questions:
What motivated you to join the DISMODE training?
What have you learnt?
Can you share some specific examples of how you can use what you have learned in your daily practice now as disability support moderator?
Were there any challenges faced during the program, and if so, how were they addressed?
Did the program have any lasting effects on your career choices or aspirations?
What is your key message?
The case study questions aim to understand the motivations for joining the DISMODE training. The questions are designed to discover what participants learned during the training. Questions explore how participants can apply their new knowledge in their daily practice as disability support moderators. The study also focuses on challenges faced during the program and their resolution. Further questions investigate the program’s lasting impact on career choices and aspirations. Finally, the survey solicits a key message from the participant.
This case study focuses on the DISMODE training program and explores participants’ experiences and insights.
Participants discuss their motivations for joining and what they learned throughout the program.
There’s an emphasis on how the training can be applied in daily practices as disability support moderators.
The challenges faced during the program and their resolutions are also highlighted.
The participants had a role-playing session to discuss situations experienced in a real-life context. They were allowed to create a concept map (mind map) to represent their ideas in a synoptic way, collaboratively discussed in the group. In the following figure, we present the result of the mind map from one of the groups.
Figure 1 Work group mind map
As you can see, the mind map is organized around the word ‘DISMODE,’ which represents the project’s name. It is divided into six main sections, each numbered from 1 to 6, representing different aspects of what we wanted to understand with the initial questions.
The first question (What motivated you to join the DISMODE training?) concerns motivation. In the mind map, the participants associated a number of words with it, mentioning ‘Action’, ‘Motivation’, ‘Learning’, ‘Knowledge’ and ‘Curiosity’. This diversity of words suggests that the motivation to take part in the project was multifaceted. As emphasised later in the presentation, the word ‘Action’ indicates a desire for action or active participation. The words ‘Learning’ and ‘Knowledge’ show a desire to acquire new skills and information. The word ‘Curiosity’ indicates a desire to explore and understand the topic better. In other words, this group, considering an overview of their feelings, was motivated by a desire to act, learn, know and by curiosity about the project’s theme.
In answering the second question (What have you learnt?), the participants highlighted the expressions ‘Creating projects’ and ‘Valuing differences’ as the main lessons learnt. This may indicate that the project training helped them focus on developing skills to create inclusive projects and promote the valorization of diversity.
In the third question (Can you share some specific examples of how you can use what you have learned in your daily practice now as disability support moderator?), the participants mentioned some examples: ‘Communication skills,’ ‘Attitudinal skills’, and ‘Knowledge of needs’. These examples suggest that the training, to some extent, helped improve communication skills, developed inclusive attitudes and provided knowledge about the needs of people with disabilities. In addition, they highlighted some practical examples: (i) using clear and accessible language, adapting communication to individual needs (communication); promoting an inclusive environment, combating prejudices and stereotypes (attitudes); and identifying and responding to the specific needs of each person, adapting activities and resources (knowledge of needs).
In answering question number four (Were there any challenges faced during the programme, and if so, how were they addressed?), the participants noted the following expressions, as can be seen in the mind map: ‘Sensitizing groups’ and ‘Building bridges.’ We think we can gauge that the training addressed the difficulty of sensitizing different groups and creating connections between people with and without disabilities. The map doesn’t specify how these challenges were addressed, but their mention suggests that they were discussed and considered throughout the training in the Dismode project.
On question number five (Did the programme have any lasting effects on your career choices or aspirations?) the participants summarised their opinion in two expressions that they considered representative of the training: ‘Absolutely!!!’ and ‘Knowledge for life!!!’. They indicate precisely the impact and duration, suggesting that the knowledge acquired and the skills developed will apply in various situations and that the training has positively influenced their professional aspirations.
Finally, they were asked to leave a message (What is your key message?). This group’s key message is expressed as follows: ‘Raising awareness in order to transform with love, with difference as the norm’. We think this message summarises the main objective of the training: to promote awareness and social transformation, valuing diversity and inclusion. The DISmode project seems to have been a transformative experience that motivated participants to act, learn and promote inclusion. The training provided practical tools and knowledge, addressed important challenges and had a lasting impact on the participants’ aspirations.
The case study prompts participants to share specific examples of how they applied what they learned in their daily practice as disability support moderators. However, the actual responses or detailed examples from participants are not included in the text provided. The emphasis on applying learned concepts suggests that participants have opportunities to integrate new strategies and knowledge into their work, potentially enhancing their effectiveness in supporting individuals with disabilities. For concrete examples, we would need more context or participant feedback.
Case study 2
Initials: PF / Age: 25
In another group, as can be seen in Figure 2, the answers to the questions posed were also presented in a mind map built around six axes: motives; learning, moderation, training, challenges, sharing.
The motivations mentioned orally complement what is written in the image. Thus, the desire to broaden the range of knowledge, particularly about support services, and to learn more about the different Special Educational Needs (SEN), mobility problems and the problems that arise when a disabled person looks for work/employment, which could be a path to their inclusion in society and social justice, were highlighted. In addition, he wants to improve his professional performance and as a moderator he wants to be an agent of change and someone who fights for the rights of people with SEN. As such, this moderator is a facilitator of the school and social life of people with SEN, trying to help eliminate different barriers, not just physical ones, but also attitudinal ones.
Figure 2 Mind map
In terms of training, they stress its importance because they have learned, for example, how to promote the autonomy of people with SEN, and they also highlight the collective will to learn and do more and better, to make things happen. As challenges, they highlighted the day-to-day work with people with SEN, the difficulties of involving the community and promoting self-confidence. They also shared the difficulty of adapting, the fear of making mistakes and the lack of knowledge. However, they admit that the training has helped them to expand and consolidate their knowledge.
Case study 3
Initials: ABRFS / Age: 25
Below is a comprehensive overview of my experience with the DISMODE training:
When I joined the DISMODE project, my main motivation was the conviction that inclusion should not be an abstract guideline but an integral part of any educational and professional practice. The program presented, with terms such as ‘neurodivergence’, ‘person with a disability’ and ‘inclusion’, reinforced in me the idea that, beyond laws and regulations, there needs to be a change in mentality and attitude that puts the person at the centre of the process. The following diagram represents everything that I considered important in the training course (figure 3).
Figure 3 What was the most important impact?
The opportunity to interact with other professionals and stakeholders and to deepen my knowledge of the subject was a great incentive. I have always believed in the importance of sharing experiences to build a future where everyone has a voice and a say.
During the training, I learned not only technical concepts about disability and reasonable accommodation but also practical approaches to conflict mediation and lifelong learning strategies. Suggesting a broader view of neurodivergence, which includes people with different modes of cognitive processing, showed me the importance of recognising competencies beyond so-called ‘normal’ standards.
This learning has helped me to review my own attitudes and prejudices, encouraging me to act as a facilitator of opportunities for everyone. In addition, DISMODE provided a solid understanding of how the integration, respect and empowerment of stakeholders – be they educators, managers or co-workers – can create more inclusive, accessible and participatory environments. In everyday practice, I have come to apply this knowledge in concrete ways in different situations. For example, when planning meetings with hearing-impaired people, I tried to include real-time subtitles and ensure the presence of sign language interpreters. In training activities or workshops, I began to make materials available in multiple formats (text, audio and even easy-read and, therefore, more accessible versions, ensuring greater reach and inclusion. Another practical example was the adoption of cooperative working methodologies, in which each group member could contribute according to their specific abilities, valuing the different ways of learning and expressing themselves. In this way, the lessons I learnt in the DISMODE course became an essential tool for moderating possible barriers that arise on a daily basis, promoting a culture of respect and integration.
As for the challenges faced throughout the programme, I can highlight the initial difficulty in deconstructing deep-rooted prejudices, as we often reproduce exclusionary patterns without realising it. Fortunately, DISMODE’s reflexive approach offered spaces for dialogue and sharing experiences that helped me recognise these critical points and deal with them more consciously. There were also technical challenges, such as adapting digital platforms to make content more accessible, but with the support of trainers and colleagues we were able to develop creative solutions, for example by incorporating accessibility software and good practice guides on the use of technology.
The impact of this training on my career path was profound. I felt encouraged to look for jobs in which I could more consistently fulfil the role of support moderator for people with disabilities. Furthermore, I realised that the issue of inclusion is not restricted to a single type of disability or context: it is something that cut across the whole of society, present in schools, companies and even families. This understanding broadened my aspirations and led me to seek further training in conflict mediation and social inclusion project management.
Finally, if I had to summarise the main message I take away from this process, I would say that inclusion is a collective responsibility, but it starts with everyone. We need to be willing to question our own practices, to actively listen to others and to build bridges where there used to be walls. I believe that DISMODE’s greatest legacy is precisely this vision of a future in which diversity is seen as the norm and not the exception. It is essential that we continue to open doors, create opportunities and believe in the potential of each person, because only in this way can we move towards a truly inclusive society.
