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Introduction

Ourpublicschoolstendtobeanelaborateecosystemofteachers,students,

paraprofessionals,administrators,healthprofessionals,aides,therapistsofallkind,outside

consultants,andnumerousotherspecialists.Whilesomeeffectivesystemsareinplacefor

collaborationbetweenthenumerousprofessionalsworkingwithindividualstudents,thereare

significantgapsincommunicationbetweenthevariousfieldsthatshouldbechangedinorder

tobesthelpeachchildmeether/hispotential.Thisreviewofliteraturebeginswiththe

question:howcanmusictherapistsandmusiceducatorsmoreeffectivelycollaborateinorder

tobenefitstudents’physical,social,andcognitivegrowth?

TheAmericanMusicTherapyAssociationdefinesmusictherapyas“Theclinicaland

evidence-baseduseofmusicinterventionstoaccomplishindividualizedgoalswithina

therapeuticrelationshipbyacredentialedprofessionalwhohascompletedanapprovedmusic

therapyprogram.MusicTherapyisanestablishedhealthprofessioninwhichmusicisused

withinatherapeuticrelationshiptoaddressphysical,emotional,cognitive,andsocialneedsof

individuals.”1Whilemusiceducators(should)alsohavegoalstohelpaddressthesesameneeds

forourstudents,wealsohavecurriculargoalsforthedevelopmentofcertainmusicalskills.

Whiletheeducators’goalsmaybemorefocusedonmusicaldevelopmentandthetherapists’

goalsaremorefocusedonthedevelopmentofthestudentthemselves,thereissignificant

1“WhatisMusicTherapy?,”AmericanMusicTherapyAssociation,accessedJune30,

2017,https://www.musictherapy.org/about/musictherapy/.

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evidencethatbothfieldshelpstudentsgrowphysically,socially,andcognitively.Whilethereis

muchresearchpublishedaboutthepositiveeffectsofmusiceducationonstudents,thisreview

willfocusonthefieldofmusictherapy,andhowthetwoprofessionscanworktogether.

EvidenceofGrowthThroughMusicTherapy

Thereareasignificantnumberofcasestudies,summariesofpresentations,qualitative

research,actionresearch,opinionpiecesbackedwithresearch,andanecdotalexamplesof

musictherapyhelpingstudentsdevelopphysical,social,andcognitiveskills.Basedonan

analysisofresearchbyLeslieBunt,thereissignificantevidencethatmusictherapyis

particularlyeffectiveinhelpingchildrenwithprofoundandmultiplelearningdisabilities

developskillsinthefollowingareas:

• Imitativeskills

• Abilitytoinitiateadesiredactivity

• Eyecontactwithadults

• Turntakingwithpeersandadults

• Frequency,length,andrangeofappropriatevocalsounds

• Reducingamountofbehaviorthatisnon-attentive2

Basedonresearchthatindicatesthatmusictherapyseemstohelpimprovepreverbal

andsocialskillssuchasimitation,vocalization,turn-taking,andinitiativewithchildrenwith

developmentaldisabilities,UllaHolckdesignedacasestudytofollowatwo-yearoldwith

2LeslieBunt,“Musictherapywithchildren:Acomplementaryservicetomusiceducation?”BritishJournalofMusicEducation20,no.2(2003):187.

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learningdisabilities.3Atthebeginningofthisstudy,thechildonlyreactedtoattemptsto

communicatewhentheywerepresentedinaphysical,rhythmic,andplayfulwayduringhis

musictherapysessions.Overthecourseofthesixmonthsofregularmusictherapy,thechild

becamelessdependentonphysicalmovementandpropsandwasabletocommunicatein

severalwaysmusically,aswellasdevelopasimpleverbalvocabularythatheusedto

communicatewithhismusictherapistandhisparents.4

Anothercasestudyvideo-recordedandanalyzeddatafromasix-year-old’smusic

therapysessions,aswellastypicalmusicclasssessionswithhisclassmatesovernineweeks.

Eyecontactduringactivitieswherethetherapist/teacherexpectedeyecontactincreasedfrom

76%to91%overonlyfivesessions.5Childrenwithautismcanoftenrelatetoobjectsbetter

thantheyrelatetopeople.Thismeansthatindependent(anddirected/assisted)instrument

explorationisgoodpracticenotonlyforstudents’motorskills,butalsofortheirabilityto

maintaineyecontactwithanobjectthatthey’resupposedtobefocusedon,suchasamusical

instrument.6

Anotherlargerstudy,whichwasinvestigatingwhetherornotautisticchildren’s

responseswouldincreasewhenusingmusicduringinstruction,foundthatusingmusictended

3UllaHolck,“Turn-takinginmusictherapywithchildrenwithcommunicationdisorders,”BritishJournalofMusicTherapy18,no.2(2004):45.4Holck,“Turn-takinginmusictherapywithchildrenwithcommunicationdisorders,”51.5PaigeRose&KarynaJohnson“Theeffectsofstructuredmusicalactivitysessionsonthedevelopmentofachildwithautismspectrumdisorder:Acasestudy.”Approaches:MusicTherapySpecialMusicEducation,6(2)(2014):886JoTomlinson,“MusicTherapyforChildrenwithAutisminanEducationalContext.”InArtTherapiesinSchools:ResearchandPractice,ed.VassilikiKarkou(London:JessicaKinsley,2010),236

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toincreaseawarenessandattentionoftheparticipantsmorethanconventionalteaching

methodsdid.7Inaddition,allstudentstookturnsandsharedwitheachothermorefrequently

inthemusictherapysessionscomparedtomoretraditionaltherapies.8

Thelaststudyofthissectionfollowedafive-year-oldboy’sprogressthroughtwoyears

ofmusictherapy.Thisboy,whohasautism,showedsignificantprogressinincreasing

communicationskills,eyecontact,andverbalresponsesoverthecourseofhismusictherapy

sessions,especiallyafterthemusictherapisttooksuggestionsofsongsthestudentenjoyed

fromthestudent’smother.9

OverlapinGoals

Becausemusictherapyandmusiceducationsharemanyofthesametechniques,it

seemstobeafairconclusionthattheysharegoalsaswell.However,Iamfarfromthefirstto

recognizethesimilaritiesandoverlapsingoalsbetweenmusictherapistsandmusiceducators.

Thereareseveralexpertsinbothprofessionswhoagreethereshouldbeacontinuumbetween

musictherapyandmusiceducationinsteadofahardlinebetweenthetwo.

7JaneL.Barrow-Moore,“TheEffectsofMusicTherapyontheSocialBehaviorofChildrenwithAutism”(master'sthesis,CaliforniaStateUniversitySanMarcos,2007),3,accessedJune28,2017,https://www.tunedintolearning.com/pdfs/SocialBehavior_BarrowMoore.pdf.8Barrow-Moore,“TheEffectsofMusicTherapyontheSocialBehaviorofChildrenwithAutism,”33.9Tomlinson,“MusicTherapyforChildrenwithAutisminanEducationalContext,”239.

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Itappearsthatthefirst(published)authortoproposeamodelforacontinuumwas

JamesRobertsonin200010.Whileresearchinganddiscussingthetherapeuticpotentialofmusic

education,heproposedthemodelseeninfigureone.

Figure1:JamesRobertson’sproposedcontinuummodel11

ElizabethMitchelltookRobertson’smodelandadjustedthewordingtoreflectboththe

educationalpotentialofmusictherapyaswellasthetherapeuticpotentialofmusiceducation.

Hermodelofacontinuumisseeninfiguretwo.

Figure2:ElizabethMitchell’sproposedcontinuummodel12 E.Mitchellseemedtosumupthegoaloftherapeuticeducationacutelywhenshesaid

this:“Withintherapeuticmusiceducation,thereexistspotentialforaparallelprocessbetween

thestudent’smusicalandpersonalgrowthtounfold.Suchprocessesarecontingentuponthe

10JamesRobertson,“AnEducationalModelforMusicTherapy:TheCaseforaContinuum,”BritishJournalofMusicTherapy14no1(July202016):44.11Robertson,“AnEducationalModelforMusicTherapy:TheCaseforaContinuum,”45.12ElizabethMitchell,“Therapeuticmusiceducation:Anemergingmodellinkingphilosophiesandexperiencesofmusiceducationwithmusictherapy,”CanadianJournalofMusicTherapy22,no1(2016):21.

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presenceofaneducatorwhoholdsaholisticawarenessofeachstudentandrecognizesunique

qualitiesandpotentialwithinmusicalexperiences.”13

AustralianmusictherapistandresearcherDianneLanganrecognizedtheoverlapin

goalsbetweenmusiceducationandmusictherapy,andin2009decidedtosurveymusic

therapistsemployedinspecialeducationsettings,lookingforcommonalitiesbetweenmusic

therapyandmusiceducationgoals.Thesurveyaskedaboutactivitiestypicallyincludedinmusic

therapysessions.Theauthorfoundenoughsimilaritiesbetweenmusicspecialeducationgoals

andmusictherapygoalsthatshewasabletotakethestrongestcommonalitiesfromthesurvey

resultsandcreateanassessmenttoolforthoseactivities.Theassessmenttoolconsistedmostly

ofachecklistforparticipantbehaviors,allrelatingtoeithermusictherapygoalsoreducation

standards,alongwithroomforwrittennotes.14

MusicTherapistsHelpingEducators

Othereducators,therapists,andresearchershaverecognizedtheaforementioned

overlapingoalsandtriedtocreatesituationswhereeachcanhelptheotheracrossprofessions.

Whilesearchingtheavailableliteratureforexamplesofmusictherapistsandmusiceducators

helpingeachother,thereweremanysuggestionsofhowtoinitiatethesesortsof

collaborations.However,thereonlyexistafewexamplesofschoolsandclinicswhohad

13Mitchell,“Therapeuticmusiceducation:Anemergingmodellinkingphilosophiesandexperiencesofmusiceducationwithmusictherapy,”19.14DianneLangan,“Amusictherapyassessmenttoolforspecialeducation:Incorporating

educationoutcomes.”TheAustralianJournalofMusicTherapy,20(2009),78-98.Retrievedfromhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/1464564?accountid=38223

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actuallytriedtoimplementsuchideas.Whatfollowsarethefewexamplesavailableinthe

currentliterature.

PaulNordoffandCliveRobbins,well-knownmusictherapistsintheUK,havewritten

severalbooksaboutmusictherapy,butoneinparticularisdesignedspecificallyforpeoplein

specialeducationsettings.Theendofthebookhasmanyappendices-eachappendixlists

differentwaysthatonemightadaptinstruments,materials,songs,arrangements,

environments,andrecordingstomakethemmoreaccessibletostudentswithspecific

disabilitiesandlimitations.Thelastappendixevenincludescontactinformationforcompanies

thatmakeadaptiveinstruments.15

Atthe2006AOSAnationalconference(aconferenceformusiceducators)music

therapistCynthiaM.Colwellgaveanentirepresentationgivingexamplesofdifferentactivities

thatonemightseeinbothamusicclassandamusictherapysession,andwhatthegoalsarefor

eachsituation.Itseemedthatthepresenter’sintentwastomakemusiceducatorsawareof

musictherapygoalsthatmaybeabletobemetwhileusingactivitiesalreadyinthegeneral

musiccurriculum.16

InCreatingMusicCulturesintheSchool:APerspectivefromCommunityMusicTherapy,

therearetwoexamplesofmusictherapistsprovidingamoreenrichingexperienceformusic

educationstudents.Thefirstwasaboutaninstrumentalteacherthatpulledstudentsforprivate

lessonsduringtheschoolday.Afteratwo-hourcompulsoryseminaron“thewell-being

15PaulNordoffandCliveA.Robbins,“Appendices1-5,”inMusicTherapyinSpecialEducation,(Dallas,TX:BarcelonaPublishers,2006)191-208.16B.Iafigliola,“OrffandMusicTherapy:DiscoveringtheCollaborationSeed,”OrffEcho40,no.2,(2008):48,retrievedfromhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/1235836?accountid=38223

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componentofmusiclessons”facilitatedbyamusictherapist,thisteacherbegantothinkabout

howtobemorehelpfultohisstudentswhosepersonalchallengesseemedtobesignificant.

Usingstrategiesandresourcesgiventohimbythemusictherapist,thisinstructorworkedvery

successfullywithastudentwithdepression,givinghimmusicaltoolstoimproviseandcompose

songstohelphimprocessandexpresshisfeelings.Thisteacheralsotriedtoopenadialogue

withafemalestudentwhoappearedtohaveaneatingdisorder,butwasunsuccessfulin

creatingthepersonalrelationshipneededtohavesuchpersonaldiscussions.Thelaststudent

mentionedwasachildwithautism.Thisteacherdidnothaveanyexperiencewithstudents

withautism,soheneededtodoalotofreadingandreachingouttoothersbeforehefelt

comfortableimplementinganysocial/well-beinggoalsinhislessons.Throughgradually

advancingimprovisationexercisesperformedtogether,thestudentwasabletoachievealevel

ofcommunication(viamusic)thathadnotbeenobservedbefore.Theteacherfeltthat

althoughhewastakingawayafewminutesoftimeeachlessonthatcouldhavebeenspenton

musicalgoals,overthelongrun,studentswereabletoprogressmorequicklyandefficiently

duetotheirownself-discoveries,aswellasthetrustdevelopedbetweenteacherand

student.17

ThesecondexampleinthisbookinvolvedaresidentialNewZealandSchoolforboys

withsocialandemotionaldifficultiesthathadnodedicatedmusicteacherormusictherapist.

Theschoolagreedtohaveamusictherapistcomeinforafewmonthstohelptheschool

establishmoreefficientandeffectivewaystoincorporatemusicintheirschool.Oncethe

17DaphneRicksonandKatrinaMcFerran,CreatingMusicCulturesintheSchool:APerspectivefromCommunityMusicTherapy,(Dallas,TX:BarcelonaPublishers,2014)95-101.

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therapistcameandstartedinteractingwiththeteachers,thestaffwerewilling,andeveneager,

toswitchclassrooms,volunteerforpositions,bringinsupplies,etc.forthisproject.Basedon

thestudent'sinterests,theystartedtodevelopthreeprojectsatthebeginningofthemusic

therapist’s“residency”-aband,aFilipinomusicgroup,andexpandingthemusicselectionatan

alreadyestablishedschoolradiostation.Duetothesuccessoftheseprogramsasstaff

membersgaveuplunchbreaksandheldafterschoolrehearsals,theprincipalmade“World

Music”apartoftheschooldaycurriculum,andthebandplayedatassembliesnearlyevery

week.Theauthoralsomentionedseveralanecdotalcommentsbyteachersandadministrators

abouttheparticipants’significantsocialandemotionalprogressthroughtheseprograms.18

AchapterinArtTherapiesinSchools:ResearchandPracticeexplainedastudythatwas

tryingtodetermineifitwaspracticaltoimplementeducationalmusictherapyintheScottish

schoolsystem.Thestudy,donein2005,consistedofapartnershipbetweentheMusicTherapy

Children’sServiceandtwoschools.TheMusicTherapyService’smusictherapistshelped

implementfivetime-limitedprojectsofmusictherapygroupworkwithinthetwoschools

duringaregularschoolsetting.Allstudentsincludedinthesesessionswererecommendedby

theirteachersasindividualswhowouldbenefitfromworkingoncommunicationandlanguage

skills,emotionalwellbeing,andsocialdevelopment,andincludedstudentswithandwithout

diagnoseddisabilities.Thedatafromthisstudysuggestedthatwhenstudentsarecontributing

18DaphneRicksonandKatrinaMcFerran,CreatingMusicCulturesintheSchool:APerspectivefromCommunityMusicTherapy,(Dallas,TX:BarcelonaPublishers,2014)95-101.

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authenticallyinmusic-making,andtakingownershipoftheirmusicalchoices,thosestudents

areabletoaddressbothmusicalandnon-musicaleducationalobjectives.19

MusicEducatorsHelpingMusicTherapists

Whiletherewereafewexamplesofmusictherapistsdevelopingtoolsandtechniques

toassistmusiceducators,andtherewereonlysuggestionsandtheoreticalexamplesofthe

opposite.Afewstatisticsofferonepossibleexplanationofthisholeintheresearchand

literature.Musiceducationhasbeenaprofessionmuchlongerthanmusictherapy;focusing

justontheUnitedStatesasanexample,theNationalAssociationforMusicEducatorswas

organizedin190720,whiletheAmericanMusicTherapistsAssociationwasfoundedin1950.21

In2005therewereonly293professionalmusictherapists(7%ofAMTAmembers)

employedfulltimeinK-12schools.22Conversely,accordingtotheNationalAssociationfor

MusicEducators,therearecurrently75,000professionalmusiceducatorswhoaremembersof

theirorganization,whichcaterstoK-12teachers.23Thinkingaboutthehistoryofthese

professionsandthesemembershipnumbers,itispossiblethatmusictherapistscouldbe

19EmmaPethybridgeandJamesRobertson,“EducationalMusicTherapy:TheoreticalFoundationsExploredinTime-limitedGroupWorkProjectswithChildren,”InArtsTherapiesinSchools:ResearchandPractice,ed.VassilikiKarkou,(London:JessicaKingsley,2010),142.20“MembershipTour,”NationalAssociationforMusicEducation,accessedJuly5,2017,https://nafme.org/membership/educators/membership-tour/.21“HistoryofMusicTherapy,”AmericanMusicTherapyAssociation,accessedJuly5,2017,https://www.musictherapy.org/about/musictherapy/.22CindyR.Roppetall,“Specialeducationadministrators'perceptionsofmusictherapyinspecialeducationprograms,”MusicTherapyPerspectives,24no.2,(2006):87.Retrievedfromhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/1372908?accountid=3822323“MembershipTour,”NationalAssociationforMusicEducation,accessedJuly5,2017,https://nafme.org/membership/educators/membership-tour/.

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focusingmoreonintegratingthemselveswithinmusiceducationsettingsbecauseitisalreadya

moreestablishedprofession,andmuchmorewidelyknownamongthegeneralpublic.WhileI

amcertainmusiceducatorshavehelpedmusictherapistsinvaryingcapacitiesinthelastfew

decades,itdoesnotseemtobeinawell-documentedandresearchedway,atleastaccording

tothecurrentliterature.

MoreOptionsforAssistingEachOther

Whiletherewerefewwell-researchedexamplesofmusictherapistsandeducators

workingtogetherinschools,almostalloftheliteratureonthistopicprovidedeitheranecdotal

examples,suggestionsforfuturecollaborations,orboth.Thefollowingexamplesarethe

suggestionsthatcurrentlyexistintheavailableliterature.

TwoschooldistrictsintheUK(BirminghamandWorcestershire)havecreatedawayfor

anyschooltoreferastudentformusictherapy,whichhasledtomusictherapybecoming

almostascommonasclinicalpsychologyinthesedistricts.Itwasnotedthatmusictherapists

workwithawiderteamtoassessthestudent’sabilitiesandcircumstancesinordertoprovide

appropriateintervention,inthesamewayoccupationaltherapists,speechpsychologists,and

othersupportstaffdo.24

Whilethismodelexistsinthesetwoschooldistricts,ithasyettoexpandtoother

schools.Schooladministratorsinchargeofthesedecisionsmaynotunderstand(orevenknow

about)musictherapy,asitissuchanewprofession.In2006agroupofmusictherapists

conductedaresearchsurveythataskedspecialeducationadministratorsinIllinoistoself-

24Bunt,“Musictherapywithchildren:Acomplementaryservicetomusiceducation?”188.

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reporttheirknowledgeof,andbelievedeffectivenessof,musictherapy.Thissurveywas

createdby,andpeer-reviewedbyexpertswhohaddoctoraldegrees(orweredoctoral

candidates)intheirfields(specialeducation,educationaladministration,musiceducation,and

musictherapy).Thissurveyhadthelargestnumberofresponsescomparedtoothersurveys

citedinthisliteraturereview,althoughthesamplesizewasstillsmall(78).Thevastmajorityof

responsesindicatedthatadministratorsthoughtmusictherapywashelpfulforstudentswith

autism(82.3%)andemotionaldisturbances(75.9%).However,only36.4%oftheadministrators

hadanypreviouspersonalexperiencewithmusictherapy,whichwasthemostsignificantfactor

regardingpositiveperceptionsofmusictherapy.Thissuggeststhatexposingmorespecial

educationadministratorstomusictherapywouldgreatlyincreasetheperceivedefficacyof

musictherapyacrossalldisabilities.25

Anotherbarrierthatmaydiscourageschooladministratorsfromemployingmusic

therapistsisthelackofstandardizedassessments-animportantpartinbotheducationand

othertherapies.Astudyin2004reportedontheresultsofasurveygiventopracticingmusic

therapistsaboutthetypesofassessmentstheygivetoclientswithDevelopmentalDisabilities.

Whileothersimilarprofessions(OT,PT,speechtherapy)havefairlystandardizedassessment

tools,musictherapydoesnot.Thefiveareasmostcommonlyassessedbythosesurveyedwere

(inorderofprevalence)motorskills(95%),communicationskills(83%),socialskills(79%),

cognitiveskills(64%),andmusicalskills(35%).35%ofrespondentsuseda“titled”assessment

25CindyR.Roppetal,“Specialeducationadministrators'perceptionsofmusictherapyin

specialeducationprograms,”MusicTherapyPerspectives24,no2,(2006),87-93.Retrievedfromhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/1372908?accountid=38223

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(SEMTAPorBoxil),36%includedanon-titledassessmentform,and10%indicatedthattheydid

notuseanassessmenttoolatall.Whenaskedaboutthecreationofastandardizedassessment

tool,only12%expressedthattheywerenotinterestedinimplementingsuchatool.26This

showsincredibleinterestinanewassessmenttoolfrommusictherapists.

Whilemusiceducatorscouldassisttherapistswithdevelopingstandardized

assessments,musictherapistscouldbeagreathelptoeducatorswhoaretryingtoimplement

thenewernationalmusicstandards.JamesRobertson,aBritishmusictherapist,pointsoutthat

whilemusiceducatorsoftenhavethemostdifficulttimeimplementingthe“Invent”national

standard(or“Create”intheU.S.A),creatingandinventingareattheheartofwhatmusic

therapistsdo,endingwithasuggestionthattherapistsandeducatorscouldeasilywork

togethertodevelopastrongcurriculumthatincludedcreating.27

Thereissignificantevidencethatstudentsbenefitfromacurriculumcreatedspecifically

forthem.In2004ameta-analysiswasperformedstudyingmusictherapyeffectsonchildren

withawiderangeofdisordersfromthemid80s-late90s.Twoimportantconclusionsdrawn

werethatthetherapy’seffectslastlongerifthepatienthasmoresessions,andaneclectic,

individualizedapproachismoreeffectivethanprescribedkindsofmusictherapy.28

26KristenMeiChase,“Musictherapyassessmentforchildrenwithdevelopmentaldisabilities:Asurveystudy,”JournalofMusicTherapy41,no.1(2004):45.Retrievedfromhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/223559495?accountid=3822327Robertson,“AnEducationalModelforMusicTherapy:TheCaseforaContinuum,”43.28ChristianGold,MartinVoracek,andTonyWigram,“effectsofmusictherapyforchildrenandadolescentswithpsychopathology:ameta-analysis,”JournalofChildPsychologyandPsychiatry45,no.6(2004):1054-63

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Whilemusictherapistsarewell-trainedmusicians,musiceducationteachertraining

oftenleavespreservicemusicteachersnotonlyunfamiliarwiththepaperworkinvolvedwith

teachingnon-typicalstudents,butunfamiliaranduncomfortablewiththesestudents

altogether.A2008studyfollowedfourpreserviceteachersastheycompletedaneight-week

fieldworkplacementthatinvolvedobserving,assistingwith,andfinallyteachingaclassof

studentswithdisabilities.Theresultsshowedthatstudentswerenervousandfeltunprepared

toentertheworldofspecialeducation,butanyandalltrainingandinformationhelpedease

theirworries.Evenjusta90-minuteorientationledallfourstudentstofeelmorecomfortable

withtheirfieldplacement.29Whileotherliteraturementionsthelackoftraininginspecial

educationforpreservicemusicteachers,thisappearstobetheonlyresearchdocumentingthe

benefitsofspecialeducatortrainingformusicteachers.

ConclusionandNextSteps

Ifonelooksthroughtheavailableexamplesinthecurrentliterature,youwillseethat

themosteffectivecollaborationshaveinvolvedbringingmusictherapistsintoschoolsettings.

Duetothis,thereshouldbeafocusonfindingwaystointegratemusictherapywithinalready

existingspecialeducationandmusiceducationprograms,educatingmusiceducatorsabout

musictherapy(andviceversa),creatingmorestandardizedassessmentsformusictherapistsin

schools,educatingschooladministratorsaboutmusictherapy,doingmoreresearchonthe

29RyanM.Hourigan,“Preservicemusicteachers'perceptionsoffieldworkexperiencesinaspecialneedsclassroom,”JournalofResearchinMusicEducation57no.2,(2009):152-168.

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benefitsofalreadyexistingmusictherapyprogramswithinschools,andpossiblyoffering

variouswaystoacquirelicensureinmusiceducationand/ormusictherapy.

TheexampleintheUKresearchedbyLeslieBuntoffersanexcellentexampleofhowto

implementmusictherapyinschools.30Thismodelwouldbewonderful,andevenfeasible,all

overtheworld.IntheUnitedStates,musictherapywasconfirmedasarelatedservicefor

IndividualizedEducationalPlansin2000.31Thismeansthatasapartoffederaleducationallaw,

musictherapycanbeofferedasaservicetotreatawidevarietyofdiagnoseswithinschoolsin

theU.S.Ithasevenbeenpointedoutthatmusictherapycouldbeusedasadiagnostictoolto

helpidentifycertaindisabilities,asmusictherapyoffersavarietyofwaystocommunicate,

whichmayhelpnon-verbalstudentsbeabletoexpressthemselvesandshowthetherapist

whattheyarecapableof.32Ifwecanquantitativelyshowthatstudentsaremoresuccessfulin

districtsthathavemusictherapyavailabletoanystudentwhoneedsit,itismorelikelythat

districtswouldbeableto“find”themoneytofundmusictherapistsinschoolsettings.More

districtsimplementingitcouldleadtomoreresearch,which,ifitshowedtherewerepositive

benefitsforstudents,wouldhelpevenmoredistrictsjustifyofferingmusictherapy.

OnewaythatnearlyallschoolsintheUShelpstudentswithdisabilitiesreachtheir

behavioralandcurriculargoalsisthroughtheuseoftheseIndividualizedEducationPlans(IEPs).

30Bunt,“Musictherapywithchildren:Acomplementaryservicetomusiceducation?”31Chase,KristenMei,“Musictherapyassessmentforchildrenwithdevelopmentaldisabilities:Asurveystudy,”JournalofMusicTherapy41,no1(2004),29.Retrievedfromhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/223559495?accountid=3822332TonyWigramandChristianGold,“MusicTherapyintheAssessmentandTreatmentofAutisticSpectrumDisorder:ClinicalApplicationandResearchEvidence,”Child:Care,HealthandDevelopment32,no.5(2006):535-42.

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Whilemostelementarymusiceducatorsseethemajorityofstudentsintheschoolbuilding,and

oftenforconsecutiveschoolyears,veryfewofthemareinvolvedwiththeIEPprocessatall.

Accordingtoasurveydonein2006,only38%ofelementarymusicteachershadever

participatedinanIEPmeeting.33Thisissimultaneouslyunsurprisingandconcerning.Public

elementaryschoolsoftenintegratestudentswithseverespecialneedsinclassessuchasmusic,

art,andphysicaleducation,evenwhenthosestudentsareinaself-containedclasstherestof

theday.Thismeansthatthemusicteacherisoneofonlyahandfulofeducatorswhoseesthese

studentsinteractingwiththeirtypicalpeersonaregularbasis.Surelythiswouldbeagood

perspectivetoincludeinIEPmeetings,wheregoals,standards,andaccommodationsfor

studentsaredecidedupon?Amusictherapistmaybeabletohelpbridgethisgapbetween

musicandspecialeducation.Simplyexposingthespecialeducationstafftomusictherapymay

makethemawareofthecontributionsmusicprofessionalshavetooffertheirstudents.A

therapist’straininginvolvesmoreexperiencewiththespecializedpaperworkforpeoplewith

disabilities,whichissignificantlylackinginmostteachereducationtraining;havingacolleague

tohelpexplainprocedureswouldmakemusicteachersmorecomfortablegettinginvolvedinan

otherwiseforeignprocess.Moreresearchshouldalsobedoneontheeffectsofincludingmusic

teachersonIEPmeetings,aswellaspreservicetrainingaboutspecialneedsformusicteachers.

Ifsuchresearchshowspositiveresults,thenhighereducationneedstoadjusttheirprograms

accordingly,andprovidemoretrainingforandopportunitiesforworkingwithstudentswith

disabilities.

33LaurieP.Scottetal.,“TalkingwithMusicTeachersAboutInclusion:Perceptions,OpinionsandExperiences,”JournalofMusicTherapy44,no.1(2007):43.

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Whilemusiceducatorsandtherapistscanassisteachother,theyalsoneedtoeducate

eachother.AgreatexampleofthiswasmusictherapistCynthiaM.Colwell’spresentationat

theAmericanOrff-SchulwerkAssociationNationalConference.34Thissessionisagreat

exampleofonewaymusictherapistsandmusiceducatorscanmoreefficientlycommunicate

witheachother.Ifmusictherapistsandmusiceducatorsaretrulyinterestedinassistingand

learningfromoneanother,thereneedstobeaconcentratedefforttoinviteoneanothertoour

conferences,workshops,andotherprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities.

Theprofessionsofmusiceducationandmusictherapyshouldnotonlyfocuson

educatingeachother,buteducatingtheadministratorsofourschools.Administrators’viewson

musictherapyundoubtedlyhaveahugeimpactontheofferingsinaschool/district.The

researchmentionedearlierinthisreviewshowedthatanyexposuretomusictherapyincreases

administrators’perceivedefficacyofmusictherapy.35Thisisanissuethatthefieldshouldbe

takingseriouslyandtryingtosolverightaway;musictherapistsshouldactivelybefinding

workshops,conferences,andotherprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiestodoshort

presentationswith,andfor,administrators.Musiceducators,whooftenhavesignificantlymore

contactwithschooladministrators,shouldtrytoadvocatefortrainingfrommusictherapists,

andinviteadministratorstoparticipateinthattraining.

34Iafigliola,“OrffandMusicTherapy:DiscoveringtheCollaborationSeed,”48.35Ropp,“Specialeducationadministrators'perceptionsofmusictherapyinspecialeducationprograms,”87.

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Anotherstrategytogaintrustandperceivedefficacywithadministratorsistocreate

morecommon,easier-to-understandassessmenttoolswithinmusictherapy.Thestandardsand

proceduresthateducators(bothmusicandspecial)arefamiliarwithwhenassessingstudents

couldbeofgreathelptomusictherapistswhoaretryingtocreatemorestandardassessment

tools,creatingyetanotheropportunityformusictherapistsandmusiceducatorstocollaborate.

Thereshouldbeseveraldifferentstandardizedassessmentscreatedforvariouspopulations

regardingages,disabilitydiagnosis,setting,etc.Theseassessmentswouldhelpmusictherapists

receiveinsurancereimbursement,beseenasmorevalidintheeducationworld,showgrowth

toschooladministrators,andcreateawayformusictherapiststomoreeffectivelycompare

andcontrasttheirmethodswithotherprofessionalsinthefield.Agreatexampleofthiswas

DianneLangan’ssurveyandsubsequentassessmenttool.36Theassessmenttoolwaseasyto

understand,andissomethingIamconsideringusinginmyclassroominthefall,withafew

modificationstoadapttotheAmericaneducationsystem,asthiswasdesignedforAustralian

andUKteachers.

Anotherreasontopushforincludingmusictherapyinschoolsisthatthesocialskills

interventionscurrentlyusedinschoolshavevariedresults.Accordingtoameta-analysisof

school-basedsocialskillsinterventionsforchildrenwithautismspectrumdisordersin2006,a

vastmajorityoftheseinterventionsdonothavelasting,positiveresults.Theonesthatare

morelikelytosucceedareinlocationsthataremoretypicalfortheschoolenvironment(aka

36Langan“Amusictherapyassessmenttoolforspecialeducation:Incorporatingeducationoutcomes”78-98.

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notresourcerooms)andoccurmorethantwiceaweek.37Ifthemeta-datahasshownusthat

thecurrentinterventionsarenotworking,thattheyneedtohappenmorefrequently,andthat

theyneedtobeinamoretypicalenvironment,musictherapysessionsinafamiliarmusicroom

seemtobeanobvioussolutionthatshouldatleastbeattemptedandresearched.

Furtherresearchthatsuggestsmusictherapymaybeaseffective,orevenmore

effective,thancurrentinterventionsusedinschoolsincludesthemeta-analysisdonein2004.38

Thesefindingssupporttheideaofcollaborationbetweenmusictherapistsandmusic

educators;ifastudentisalreadyreceivingbothservices,thatchildwillbenefitmorefrom

consistencybetweenthoseclasses,essentiallyprovidingmoreopportunitiesforreinforcement

ofdesiredbehaviorsandoutcomes.

Oneotherchangeinhighereducationthatneedstoberesearched,andperhaps

attempted,ischanging/combiningthelicensingrequirementsformusictherapistsandmusic

educators.OnemodelthatIcouldseeworkingiscreatingaprogramforcertifiedmusic

teacherstobecomelicensedin“educationalmusictherapy.”Thisprogramcouldbeshorter

thanafulldegree,includemoretrainingonhelpingK-12studentswithdisabilities,andinclude

lesstraininginclinicalsettings(forpatientswithAlzheimer’s,braininjuries,PTSD,etc).Perhaps

anadditionalstudentteaching/internshipassignmentwithamusictherapistwouldalsobe

37ScottBellinietal.,“AMeta-AnalysisofSchool-BasedSocialSkillsInterventionsforChildrenwithAutismSpectrumDisorders,”RemedialandSpecialEducation28,no.2(May/June2007):153-62.38Gold“EffectsofMusicTherapyforchildrenandadolescentswithpsychopathology:ameta-analysis,”1054-63.

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beneficial.Thiswouldallowmusicteacherstogaininvaluabletrainingandskillstoimplement

musictherapyintotheircurrentsituationswithouthavingtocompleteclinicalhoursthatare

notapplicabletotheircareerpath.

Therecouldbeasimilarlicensingprogramforcertifiedmusictherapiststoacquirea

“limitedspecialeducation”teachinglicense.Thiscouldprovideawayformusictherapiststo

undergoastudentteachingplacement,receivetrainingaboutIEPsandbestteachingpractices,

andbecomefamiliarwithschooladministration,thusallowingthemtobemorequalifiedto

workinpublicschools.

Wealreadyhavesignificantevidencethatbothmusiceducationandmusictherapy

benefitstudents’physical,social,andcognitivegrowthandthatattemptsatcollaboration,

especiallywiththenon-typicalstudent,havebeensuccessfulthusfar.Sincethemostsuccessful

collaborationshavetakenplacewhenintegratingmusictherapistswithinschools,both

professionsshouldbefocusedonimplementingandadaptingideasfromeachother’s

professions,creatingopportunitiestoteachoneanother,advocatingforprogramsto

administrators,andfiguringoutwaystochangecurrenttrainingprogramstobetterreflectthe

needsofstudents.Furtherresearchisneededinalloftheseareasinordertobestprovide

evidenceofpositiveresults.

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