Inclusive education demands the creation of a school environment capable of accepting and respecting the diversity of students, including Children with Special Needs (ABK). One of the main challenges in implementing inclusive schools is the low level of empathy and social sensitivity among regular students toward the presence of ABK, which has the potential to cause social exclusion and discriminatory behavior. This study aims to describe the implementation of the Inclusion Volunteer program, analyze the process of forming the empathetic character of regular students through the program, and identify the supporting and inhibiting factors in its implementation at SMP Muhammadiyah 2 Ponorogo.
This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with field research as the research type. The research subjects are regular students who are members of the Inclusion Volunteer program, while the research object focuses on the formation of empathetic character, which includes cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects. Data collection techniques were conducted through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation, with data analysis using the Miles and Huberman model, which includes data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions. Data validity was tested using source and technique triangulation.
The results of the study indicate that the Inclusion Volunteer Program is implemented through social, academic, and emotional assistance, providing direct interaction experiences between regular students and students with special needs. The development of empathy is supported by school commitment and policies as well as family support, while the volunteers’ limited experience and knowledge are addressed through school guidance and coaching. The program contributes to the development of students’ affective and cognitive empathy, demonstrated through increased care, understanding of students with special needs, perspective-taking, and the ability to provide assistance according to their needs. The empathy development model involves the stages of moral knowing, moral feeling, and moral action, strengthened through volunteer coaching, whole-school support, and shared awareness to foster an inclusive school culture.

Keywords: inclusive education, inclusion volunteer, empathetic character