Children receiving Special Education or Early Intervention Services

Music Therapy is frequently utilized within school systems and Early Intervention Services, and is considered a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Music Therapy interventions assist the child in meeting the educational and developmental goals established by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), including development in development in cognitive, behavioral, physical, emotional, social, communication, and motor skills.  Goals that may be addressed include the learning of academic concepts, increasing cooperation and appropriate social behavior, providing avenues for communication, increasing self-esteem and self confidence, improving motoric responses and agility, and encouraging exploration and examination of issues that impact the life of the student.  Therapy can be provided in either individual or group settings.

Treatment Examples (other treatment types may apply):

Individual Therapy - The use of music in individual therapy is completely dependent on the needs of the individual throughout therapy as well as the emotional state of the individual that day, therefore improvisation is frequently utilized as the main clinical tool.  Improvisation types include vocal, instrumental, rhythmic (non-instrumental), and any combination of the previous three.  Clients are encouraged to participate to their full ability level, whether through a simple vocal sigh or a full vocal and instrumental improvisation.  Learning songs, song writing, pre-composed music, and action songs are also introduced when therapeutically appropriate.

Small Group - Small group therapy services is most frequently provided to groups of children with similar needs and focus on the educational and developmental needs of each child in the group as well as the needs of the group as a whole.  Techniques frequently utilized include instrumental improvisation, learning songs, song writing, action songs, and group bell choirs.

Adjunct Treatment Modality - Music Therapists can provide consult services to teachers throughout the school.  These services include, but are not limited to, providing special education classroom teachers with effective ways to incorporate music into their academic curriculum, providing classroom teachers with techniques on academic and social interaction between teacher and students (both those seen in therapy and not), and providing support to music teachers for including students with disabilities into their classrooms.

All treatment provided depend on the individual(s) being served.  For more information on service types provided by Blue Ridge Music Therapy, please visit the Services page.

Other pages of interest:

Individuals with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities

Individuals with Physical Disabilities

Music Therapy and Rehabilitation Services