Individuals　with　disabilities　are　essential　members　of　heterogeneous　crowds.　However,　empirical　data　on　pedestrian　flow,　including　individuals　with　disabilities,　are　limited.　In　this　study,　a　controlled　experiment　was　conducted　to　explore　the　dynamics　of　counterflow　involving　individuals　without　disabilities　and　with　simulated　disabilities.　For　safety　reasons,　some　individuals　without　disabilities　were　recruited　to　simulate　persons　with　mobility-related　physical　and　sensory　disabilities　(namely　pedestrians　on　crutches,　seniors,　wheelchair　users　and　persons　who　are　blind)　by　using　auxiliary　equipment.　A　total　of　64　pedestrians　participated　in　the　experiment.　After　gaining　their　movement　trajectories,　crossing　behaviors,　spatial–temporal　characteristics,　fundamental　diagrams　and　the　congestion　level　are　analyzed　under　different　split　flow　ratios　of　walkers　from　two　directions　and　densities.　Results　demonstrate　that　the　average　speed　of　pedestrians　in　the　direction　of　pedestrian　flow　comprising　more　participants　is　higher　than　that　in　the　other　direction.　Helping　behavior　positively　impacts　on　the　movement　efficiency　of　heterogeneous　crowds,　while　the　proportion　of　individuals　with　simulated　disabilities　has　a　negative　impact.　The　split　flow　ratio　has　little　effect　on　the　average　specific　flow　when　density　is　smaller　than　approximately　1.25　m−2.　The　average　specific　flow　in　balanced　flow　(i.e.　the　split　flow　ratio　is　0.5)　is　slightly　higher　than　that　in　unbalanced　flow　(i.e.　the　split　flow　ratio　is　not　0.5)　when　density　is　larger　than　approximately　1.25　m−2.　Congestion　level　is　relatively　higher　here　than　that　in　counterflow,　including　all　individuals　without　disabilities,　when　density　is　low.　These　findings　have　implications　for　safer　pedestrian　facility　design.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd