Adaptability is the most promising feature to be applied in future robust multimedia applications. In this paper, we propose the Direct Algorithm to improve the degree of satisfaction at heterogeneous receivers in multi-layered multicast video environments. The algorithm relies on a mechanism that dynamically controls the rates of the video layers and is based on feedback control packets sent by the receivers. The algorithm also addresses scalability issues by implementing a merging procedure at intermediate nodes in order to avoid packet implosion at the source in the case of large multicast groups. The proposed scheme is optimized to achieve high global video quality and reduced bandwidth requirements. We also propose the Direct Algorithm with a virtual number of layers. The virtual layering scheme induces intermediate nodes to keep extra states of the multicast session, which reduces the video degradation for all the receivers. The results show that the proposed scheme leads to improved global video quality at heterogeneous receivers with no cost of extra bandwidth.