From June 1–5, 2026, the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program titled “Inclusive Communication Lab” (ICL) was held for the first time at ELTE Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education (BGGYK).
Although the main organizers, Dr. Judit Gombás and Gréta Kövecses, had previously organized two BIPs, this one presented an exciting challenge and a new experience in many ways: its successful implementation was the result of the collaborative efforts of a much larger professional team than in previous years.
During the ICL, participants learned how communication with students with disabilities can be smooth, accessible, and respectful within a higher education institution. Dr. Angéla Imre helped participants lay the theoretical foundation for the topic. Dr. Rita Hoffmann approached the topic of communication from the perspective of disability studies. Dr. Andrea Perlusz and Melinda Báder discussed communication with people who are hard of hearing; Dr. Mária Flamich, with those who are visually impaired; Dorottya Királyhidi, with those who are deafblind; while Dr. Ágnes Havasi and Júlia Dobó spoke about the specific aspects of communicating with people on the autism spectrum.
The team spent two afternoons learning Braille from Dr. Judit Gombás. Our guest and colleague, Dr. Andrea Erdélyi, spoke about communication methods for people who use computers to communicate, while Krisztina Kovács, the director of SHÜTI, presented the services available to students with disabilities studying at ELTE.
A total of 22 participants from eight countries attended the program, including a mix of students and university staff.
The International Office made the stay in Budapest even more memorable with a variety of leisure activities: for example, participants could practice yoga in the Bárczi Garden, while our graduating student, Zsuzsanna Tarjányi, led an inclusive guided tour—accessible to people with visual impairments—along a route featuring several sculptures by Mihály Kolodko.
The success of the ICL BIP is the result of genuine faculty collaboration. In addition to the large team of instructors, we would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff of the Dean’s Office, the Office of Academic Affairs, the International Office and the Office of Finance, and the operations team!
