MUSC 35500 - Music And Exceptionality

Focus on designing, planning, and implementing music-based interventions for individuals with diverse abilities with an emphasis on music leadership, instructional and facilitation skills. Incorporates a wide variety of music therapy applications for children and adolescents, and covers the role of music in special education including historical and legal precedents, learning styles, and the IEP process.

Preparation for Course
P: Basic vocal and accompaniment skills on the autoharp, guitar or piano are desirable prerequisites.

Cr. 3.
Notes
Restricted to students admitted into the Music Therapy (BSMT) program.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the historical, ethical and legal precedents in special education.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the causes and characteristics of cognitive, physical, behavioral, and emotional disabilities.
3. Develop skills in organizing, sequencing, structuring, and adapting music-based experiences according to the developmental abilities, chronological age, specific challenges, interests, and needs of students in special education.
4. Demonstrate familiarity with and utilize a variety of music resources for use in music therapy and special education settings including songs, movement, instrument playing and Orff-Schulwerk materials from Western and non-Western cultures.
5. Develop behavioral management techniques to reward appropriate non-musical and musical behaviors as well as assisting exceptional children in making correct responses.
6. Develop a vocabulary for use in discussing the needs of exceptional children with other professionals and reading/creating individualized education plans (IEP). 7. Demonstrate the ability to adapt musical scores, participation expectations and learning processes for students with special needs who are enrolled in performing ensembles on the secondary level.
8. Demonstrate an understanding of the collaborative possibilities among the special education teacher, music therapist, classroom teacher, paraprofessionals, other therapists and parents of students with special needs.
9. Become familiar with the current trends and specific music therapy practices related to individuals with cognitive, physical, behavioral and emotional disabilities in a special education setting.
10. Stimulate creativity and improvisation in planning and leading music activities for individuals with special needs with an emphasis in making on-the-spot modifications to insure success.