AUDIO DESCRIPTION FOR INCLUSION. LISTENING COMPREHENSION AND ABILITY OF EMPATHY IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASSES

Audio Description (AD) is a narration service to make audiovisual content accessible for all. AD plays a facilitator role of educational settings in terms of inclusion and learning, accounting for the learning context a pedagogical tool directing the didactic intervention towards meeting the needs of everyone, without exception. Starting from this perspective, the paper presents quantitative and qualitative research aims to evaluate listening comprehension Ocelot's animated film Kirikou and the Sorceress (1998). In 9 primary classes for a total of 172 students feature film was shown in three different modes: 1) standard mode with AD, without video; 2) integrated use, standard mode with AD; 3) standard mode without AD. Upon conclusion on listening of each phase, the students have been provided with: 1) questionnaire with the aim of evaluate the storytelling understanding; 2) group interview in order to know the real ability of students to understand through listening. Data analysis shows that the different modes of audiovisual enjoyment have allowed the classroom setting to live an unusual learning experience aimed at promoting, through the empathy and multisensoriality, inclusion at school.