Despite the potential of schooling to establish an inclusive and democratic society, the struggle to dismantle the barriers to inclusion seems to bump onto the legacy of special education ideology (Symeonidou & Phtiaka, 2009). Thereby the quest for implementing inclusive policy and practice is an endeavour to radically de- and reconstruct the educational system so as to provide equal opportunities to quality education for all students, regardless ability and diversity (Barton & Armstrong, 2001). Even though access to quality education is a fundamental right, learners with disabilities have usually low levels of educational achievement and are less likely to go on to further education and employment after school, compared to their peers (Vlachou, 2004; Barr & Smith, 2009).

Raising educational achievement for all learners is an important factor that, in the long term, may affect the competitiveness and the well-being of a society (European Commission, 2010). For this reason, it is important to find ways to engage with making schools inclusive, so as to enable learning for all students and affirm their right for quality education (Barton, 2008). Teachers have a key role to provide quality education, albeit they are often trapped in their own ignorance and prejudice that hinders inclusive teaching approaches (Erevelles, 2000). Contextualized and meaningful teacher education programmes may enable teachers become self-confident and skilled enough to follow inclusive teaching practices, while at the same time,scrutinize unhelpful and segregating attitudes rather than fallprey to them (Barr & Smith, 2009; Symeonidou & Phtiaka, 2009).

In the context of Cyprus, even though the importance of continuing professional development is fully acknowledged by both the Ministry of Education and Culture (MoEC, 2013) and the Committee for Cyprus Educational Reform (2004), the plans for effective professional development programsthat enhance inclusive teaching approaches are still at a preliminary stage. In this framework, Greek-Cypriot teachers do not pursue further learning and MoEC does not offer adequate support for such activities (Eurydice, 2009; OECD, 2010). Although, this is in line with most European countries, where incentives to encourage participation in CPD appear few, whereas penalties for no participation are rare (Caena, 2011), this practice seems to have serious implications for students and the development of their full potential (Symeonidou & Phtiaka, 2014). Thus, according to current research findings (e.g. Angelides, Stylianou & Gibbs, 2006; Symeonidou & Phtiaka, 2009), Greek-Cypriot teachers tend to think on the basis of a medical and charity model, while they favor special education in segregating settings (either in special or mainstream schools) for specific groups of students.

Our study aimed to design a professional development program that would attract teachers and be in line with the literature of Inclusive Education. Our guiding principle was that CPD programs need to be carefully planned and delivered to all teachers, so as to address both theoretical and practical aspects of inclusive education effectively (Symeonidou & Phtiaka, 2014).By balancing theory and practice, weexpected that teachers would be motivated to attend the program and be inspired to inclusive teaching approaches for all students, including students with disabilities.

Within this framework, we tried to answer the following research questions: a) What characteristics make a CPD program alluring and engaging? b) What is the effect of such a program on the provision of quality education by teachers?

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