Increasing access to music in SEN settings.

Abstract

This paper presents some of the outcomes of a one year Higher Education Innovation Fund1 funded project exam- ining the use of music technology to increase access to mu- sic for children within special educational need (SEN) set- tings. Despite the widely acknowledged benefits of inter- acting with music for children with SEN there are a num- ber of well documented barriers to access [1, 2, 3]. These barriers take a number of forms including financial, knowledge based or attitudinal. The aims of this project were to assess the current music technology provision in SEN schools within a particular part of the Dorset region, UK, determine the barriers they were facing and develop strategies to help the schools overcome these barriers. An overriding concern for this project was to leave the schools with lasting benefit and meaningful change. As such an Action Research [4] methodology was followed, which has at its heart an understanding of the participants as co- researchers helping ensure any solutions presented met the needs of the stakeholders. The presumption by the re- searchers was that the schools needed new technology to help overcome barriers. However, although technological solutions to problems were presented to the school, it was found that the main issues were around the flexibility of equipment to be used in different locations, staff time and staff attitudes to technology. These issues were addressed through the Action Research methodology to ensure that the technology designed worked for these particular use case scenarios