Inclusive cooperation in schools: Teacher self-efficacy and differences according to the size of the settlement where the school is located

One of the most important factors that reflect indicators of teacher self-efficacy for inclusive practice is cooperation inside and outside the school aimed at supporting students with developmental disabilities. The aim of this research is to investigate the differences in the individual components of the self-assessed self-efficacy for the cooperation of teachers considering the fact that they work in schools located in settlements of different sizes. The sample consists of 357 classroom and subject teachers, in the Istrian Region, Croatia. In addition to the calculation of basic statistical parameters, multivariate analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test and discriminant analysis were used in data processing. The results showed that belonging to a group defined by the size of the settlement where the school is located can be statistically significantly predicted based on a set of variables that describe the self-assessment of certain characteristics of self-efficacy for teacher cooperation. The group of teachers working in schools in larger urban areas, unlike those working in schools in less urban areas, have an impact on the inclusion of faculties and universities in the work of the school, writing homework, cooperation between teachers and administrators for the purpose of efficient school functioning, and providing assistance to other teachers to improve their skills in teaching students of different abilities. On the other hand, teachers working in schools in rural areas, unlike those working in schools in more urban areas, have an impact on the size of the school class and on reducing the frequency of unjustified absences of students from school. A function of self-efficacy was appointed for cooperation inside and outside the school, aimed at equalizing the opportunities of all students. The scientific contribution of the research is that determining the latent structure of differences in the area of self-efficacy for cooperation between teachers who work in schools located in settlements of different size categories can serve as a scientifically grounded basis for revision and improvement of the system of professional training of teachers in the field of inclusive practice.