MI ProgrAM goals

i) We will leverage advances in assistive and adaptive music technology to remove access barriers in orchestral education for students with physical disabilities

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Children with disabilities are presented with barriers in their lives that can make it difficult to access many facets of their educational rights. Within the lens of the social model of disability, changes in education are not focused on the individual with an impairment but the social barriers that create a disabling environment. Such barriers include inaccessible physical environments, social attitudes and the lack of relevant assistive technology. 

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Fortunately, the lives of people with disabilities have improved over the past decade because of innovations in technology. From simple wheelchairs to advanced speech recognition and home automation, adaptive and assistive technology has helped millions of people gain independence and dignity in their lives.

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The MI Program will assess the needs of its participants upon recruitment and design curriculum to incorporate assistive and adaptive musical technology as needed (see Project Design). The incorporation and use of such tools in the program will increase accessibility for some of our students with disabilities, shifting the paradigm of orchestral education with regard to who is allowed to participate in this learning environment. 

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ii) We will affect positive behavioral, socioemotional and academic outcomes for all participants

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By creating an inclusive orchestral learning environment and enabling the participants to share their learning in a community context, we expect participants will gain a stronger sense of self and shift their attitudes towards disability. We anticipate students will create rewarding, positive relationships with each other through the shared goal of performing music in an ensemble. While we believe that the MI Program will deliver positive socio-emotional, cognitive and academic outcomes for its participants, there is no current literature analyzing or presenting the impact of an intervention like the one we have designed. This is because our intended model is built upon the unique intersection of inclusion and orchestral education. Therefore, we intend for the MI Program eventually to serve as a platform for researchers to expand their work in fields such as arts, music and special needs education. 

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iii) shift social attitudes and practices towards disability through community-based performances 

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The Henderson School has created opportunities for artistic expression specifically because art in all of its forms serves as an equalizer in what achievement can look like for their students with disabilities. Within the context of the MI Program, public demonstration of this achievement through a community concert will not only provide students with a platform to share and celebrate their learning, but will give audiences an opportunity to reframe their bias and enhance their understanding of disability. We believe the impact of such a culminating event will affect not only the culture of the Henderson School but also the larger public.