Increasing Accessibility to Inclusive Education for Learners with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Ndola District, Zambia

This study focused on increasing access to inclusive education for learners with disabilities in primary schools. The study was qualitative in nature and employed a descriptive research design. The study used a sample of 18 participants, including 5 teachers, 10 learners with disabilities and 3 school administrators. The instruments for data collection were the FGDs for class teachers, structured interview guide for school administrators and observation checklist from both learners with disabilities and teachers. The study found that the challenges faced by learners with disabilities in accessing inclusive education in primary schools were unsuitable learning environment, insufficient teaching and learning materials, being taught by inadequate trained teachers, difficulty in creating relationships between classmates, inadequate parental involvement and support, and legal and policy barriers. These challenges affected the academic performance of learners with disabilities in primary schools. In order to address these challenges, teachers suggested support services such as flexible teaching and learning methods adapted for educating learners with disabilities, parental involvement in the education of their children, appropriate teaching methods with innovative techniques to teaching aids, and equipment with the use of ICTs. The study recommends educational institutions and policymakers to implement inclusive practices and provide necessary accommodations to address the diverse needs of students with disabilities, advocate for inclusive educational policies, leverage assistive technologies, and seek out community resources for support in order to overcome barriers to education effectively, invest in assistive technologies, providing training for educators on inclusive teaching practices. Key Words: Â Accessibility, Disability, Inclusive Education.