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In this paper, a group of nine international scholars reflect on the collective responsibilities of stakeholders within inclusive educational settings. This reflection was prompted by the need to identify specific elements which would support intentional, collective responsibility to support authentic inclusion for all students. In order to engender this collectivist mindset, mirroring the metaphor of the nurturing village, the group conducted a qualitative study based on structured and semi-structured dialogue, written reflections and previously constructed research to inform a framework to support inclusivity more collectively. Results suggest that nurturing spaces, empathetic relationships, supportive networks and targeted teaching, all contribute to bona fide inclusion, especially if this responsibility is shared and cohesive. Data further revealed that inclusivity is a values-driven process which flourishes when all stakeholders subscribe to common values and tenets regarding socially just educational provision. The authors inculcate the village-mindset, a now popularly received notion, reinforcing the need for active and deliberate dialogue focusing on shared responsibilities and vision. In this paper, we intend to reiterate the need for educational systems which foster more collective, compassionate and nurturing inclusive practice in educational settings.

Research has recognized that enhancing pre-service teachers' attitudes, efficacy, and decreasing concerns about inclusive education are essential factors in teacher preparation. However, no research has compared the relative ability of online courses to affect these factors when compared to traditional face-to-face instruction. The current study used pre-post survey methods to measure the effects of the online versus face-to-face formats of teaching inclusive education content to Canadian pre-service teachers. Moreover, we studied the relationships between these variables and the participants' intentions for inclusive teaching practices. Results showed that while the face-to-face format influenced pre-service teachers' attitudes and efficacy, it did not foster lower concerns or higher intentions. In contrast, the online course made no significant difference in any of the dependent variables. Given the well-established importance of affective as well as practical variables to effective inclusion, implications and limitations are discussed.

Inclusive education is a key goal of modern educational reforms, yet its implementation is complex. This study examines the roles of teacher attitudes and self-efficacy in predicting their intentions to use inclusive practices across five western countries: Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Switzerland. The study identified both significant differences and commonalities in prediction patterns across these countries. For instance, beliefs about inclusion varied in their significance, being the most influential predictor among Italian teachers, while managing challenging behaviour was a key predictor for Swiss teachers only. For the other predictors, no significant differences were found, and self-efficacy in collaboration was the strongest predictor nominally. The study suggests that, while aspects such as collaboration seem generally important across countries, effective strategies for promoting inclusive education may also need to be tailored to each country's unique context, considering aspects of historical background of inclusive education, teacher training, and support. It also emphasizes the need to consider domain-specific aspects of teacher self-efficacy, as different facets differently affect teachers' intentions.

Previous research has identified the importance of teacher attitudes and self-efficacy in supporting inclusive education. This study involved a multi-national exploration of a further dimension of inclusive education, collective efficacy, through the testing of a new tool, the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practice-Collective (TEIP-C) Scale. The study also aimed to investigate whether teacher attitudes, self-efficacy, collective efficacy and intention to teach in inclusive classrooms differ across countries. Participants included 1,523 teachers from Canada, Greece, Italy and Switzerland. Results suggested a two-factor structure for the TEIP-C, Engagement, and Inclusive Pedagogies, with strong internal consistency for the scale. Several differences across countries were identified, with teachers from Italy reporting more positive attitudes towards inclusion and a greater intention to teach in inclusive classrooms. Implications of the study in terms of further strengthening inclusive practice are discussed.