An intensive study of innovative projects in five elementary and secondary schools provided an opportunity to examine teacher participation in pre-implementation activities. Particular attention was paid to the motivation and roles of participants. It was found that participation is complex and varied. There were three major findings: (1) Voluntary participation and initial motivation were not as important to participant satisfaction as factors which emerged later; (2) Participant roles and activities varied considerably, influencing the attitudes towards innovation and therefore the motivation for participation; and (3) The representativeness of the participant group was more important to successful dissemination than voluntary participation. Important incentives and deterrents were: anticipated educational benefits; the opportunity for increased interaction among teachers and with administrators; compatibility between classroom and project goals; the costs of participation; and the perceived likelihood that innovations would be continued or expanded. (Author/FG)