Does it really take a village to raise a child? Reflections on the need for collective responsibility in inclusive education

• Published in: European journal of special needs education Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 291 - 302
• Main Authors: Subban, Pearl, Bradford, Brent, Sharma, Umesh, Loreman, Tim, Avramidis, Elias, Kullmann, Harry, Sahli Lozano, Caroline, Romano, Alessandra, Woodcock, Stuart
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester Routledge 04-03-2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Academic staff; Attitude Change; Collective responsibility; Creativity; Curriculum; Educational Environment; Educational research; Equal Education; Experiential Learning; Foreign Countries; Inclusion; Inclusive education; inclusive schools; International Cooperation; Leadership Responsibility; Leadership Styles; Learning Activities; Parent Participation; Parent Role; school community; school leadership; Stakeholders; Students with Disabilities; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Collaboration; Teacher Role; village mindset; Greece; Canada; Italy; Australia; Switzerland; Germany
• ISSN: 0885-6257; 1469-591X
• DOI: 10.1080/08856257.2022.2059632

Research in inclusive education reveals multiple studies that explore the efforts of individual stakeholders to create an equitable educational experience for students with disabilities. However, these individual efforts are often examined discretely, compartmentalising the contributions of various stakeholders. As a consequence, the complex interplay between these contributions has not been fully explored, with the capacity for a rich network of support being assumed rather than explicitly constructed. This report draws on the personal reflections of nine academics in the field of inclusive education from Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Switzerland. Serving as both contributors and participants, this study draws together their personal interpretations and their expertise regarding the value of collective and collaborative inclusive education. Inductive thematic analysis of participant reflections yielded the view that stakeholders working together within an educational setting, offers more effective and appropriate opportunities to support learners with additional needs.