Abstract:

The design of inclusive learning environments to promote the employability of students with disabilities is a necessity for today's Italian school, which is called upon to play a central role in socialisation and education. The school therefore has the task of implementing educational activities so that they support the individual planning and scheduling of each pupil's life projects. The transition from school to work, however, requires a proactive approach, with individualised support and the creation of realistic professional goals. Teachers and educators play a key role in this process; however, they must be adequately trained and use innovative teaching strategies that promote active learning and critical thinking of all learners.

The Life Designing paradigm, introduced by Mark Savickas and Jean Guichard in 2005, represents a change in the approach to career guidance and construction. This model sees careers as continuous processes of personal and narrative construction. Today, in the Italian school context, this type of approach could be particularly useful in supporting students with disabilities in their educational and career paths, shifting the focus away from traditional career guidance towards a more holistic understanding of career development. More specifically, the Life Designing paradigm is based on Savickas' Career Construction and Guichard's Self-Construction concepts. Career Construction offers a framework for building careers through personal narratives, linking past events with future aspirations, while Self-Construction explores identity formation through the adaptation and reinterpretation of personal experiences. In the school context, Life Designing could revolutionise support for students with disabilities. Indeed, through specific programmes used by Career Construction and Self-Construction, schools could help these students construct personal narratives that strengthen self-esteem and promote greater self-determination. Narrative tools, such as autobiographical narratives, represent a crucial component in school orientation: they provide students with the opportunity to explore and reflect on their experiences and aspirations, structuring their educational and career paths in a more conscious way. In conclusion, the use of the Life Designing paradigm in education could offer a solid framework for improving the employability of students with disabilities. By promoting inclusive learning environments and implementing personalised educational pathways, all students will be able to achieve their professional aspirations. This approach could thus contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and equitable Italian school.

Keywords:

Inclusive Learning Environments, Life Designing Paradigm, Career Construction.