Zambian Pre-Service Teachers' Voices about Successful Inclusive Education

While inclusion has been studied in many parts of the world, there is a dearth of research on this topic in Zambia. This study investigated the perceptions of pre-service teachers about the benefits of inclusion and the resources needed to successfully include students with disabilities in general education settings in Zambia. Participants responded to four open-ended questions included in the Pre-service Teachers' Attitudes toward Inclusion Questionnaire. Questionnaires that included responses to the open-ended questions (n = 484) were included in the analysis. Content analysis procedures described by Bogdan and Bilken (2003) were used to analyze responses. Participants described social and academic benefits of inclusion. Materials and equipment, teachers and support personnel, government support, and facilities were identified as resources needed for successful inclusion. Findings are illustrated with descriptions of the participants' responses along the dominant themes. Implications for special education practice and policy in Zambia are discussed.