Soundbeam allows differently-abled people to create music in through basic movements. This is an assistive technology device that meets the needs of music educators and music therapists. Many times, mainstreamed students are handed a shaker or pair of rhythms sticks to be part of the class. Soundbeam would allow them to participate in the composition process by adding a melodic line, not just a rhythm.
The video and several other son the Soundbeam site show students with multiple disabilities. I believe this device would be effective for students with more abilities but who still require assistance.
Apple incorporates voice over, spotlight search and closed captioning for differently-abled folks. There are several videos to watch that share the stories of folks who use Switch SX, Keystrokes and Proloquo. A woman in France types by a jaw movement. Leigh-Anne Tompkins, a graphic artist who runs her own company, draws with her foot and a trackball. She says it best, "Being disabled doesn't mean an inability to function, it only means we function in a unique way." Apple is doing great things for people.
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Technology can help people, who would otherwise be unable to do so, experience many things in life, things that most of us take for granted. While not yet used extensively in music education, assistive technologies hold much promise for helping individuals with specialized needs perform, create, and understand/respond to music. Truly, all people can be musical.
ReplyDeleteI feel that these technologies can be a great improvement in the lives of many individuals with specialized needs. This is especially true with individuals with communicative disorders. Music, for people with communicative disorders, may be the only outlet they have.
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