Journal of Research in Music Education

Researchers have attempted to determine the proportion of students with disabilities that participate in secondary music within small populations; however, the results of these studies offered limited insights. The purpose of this study was to examine the proportional representation of students with disabilities in U.S. high school music courses using data from the National Center for Education Statistics High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Results indicated that 32.75% of music students in the cohort had a disability, which is a statistically significant underrepresentation compared to the high school population (35%). This underrepresentation was driven by the results among band students (31%). Notably, results from this study contribute to a clearer understanding of the presence of disabled students in music. Given that almost 33% of music students in this cohort had a disability, we suggest there is a critical need for further research into inclusive practices and underscore the urgency of expanding inclusive opportunities and supporting music educators in fostering accessible learning environments for students with disabilities.

In this phenomenological case study, we explored stakeholder experiences in a full-inclusion secondary instrumental ensemble, examining perspectives from students with disabilities, their caregivers, and both music and special educators. Through interviews and observations of nine participants, our research revealed three key themes: (a) intersecting and varying value systems, (b) a platform of mutual empowerment, and (c) increased teacher self-efficacy and student joy. Whereas students primarily valued peer interactions and musical engagement, caregivers emphasized socialization opportunities and life skill development, and educators focused on musical progress and advocacy. We also emphasized the importance of collaboration between special educators and music teachers and the role of peer support in fostering an inclusive environment. These findings suggest that full-inclusion instrumental programs may provide meaningful experiences for all stakeholders while supporting musical and personal growth. This research contributes to the limited literature on secondary instrumental music inclusion programs and may provide insights for music educators seeking to implement similar programs.

The Singing Voice Development Measure (SVDM) was created to provide some consistency with what children are asked to sing, how their singing is prompted, and how their singing is evaluated, particularly in research studies. Although the SVDM patterns encouraged children to use all registers of their singing voices, these patterns had an upper limit of B-flat4, which is just touching on upper register (B-flat4 and above). Some children can push their middle register to sing a B-flat or higher and would therefore be scored as a “singer” when really, they are “initial range singers.” Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate if children sang better and were more likely to use upper register if prompted to echo a set of patterns with a range of D4 to D5 rather than the original patterns that had a range of C#4 to B-flat4. Kindergarteners (n = 80) and first graders (n = 92) echoed a teacher singing both sets of patterns on text and a neutral syllable. Two raters scored all the recordings, and interrater and intrarater reliability estimates were all strong. Correlation coefficients, exploring the convergent validity of the modified patterns, were all significant and of moderate strength. The revised set of patterns are valid and can be used in subsequent research studies.

The purpose of this multiple case study was to describe three expert middle school band teachers’ decision-making processes before, during, and after instruction. The following research question guided this study: What were the thought processes underlying expert middle school band teachers’ decisions before, during, and after instruction? Cross-case analysis guided by the teacher as reflective decision-maker model suggested that participants’ decisions before instruction were concerned with (a) mental templates, (b) learning goals, and (c) reflections, contingencies, and anticipations. During instruction, participants’ decisions were related to (a) reacting and responding, (b) choosing to pivot, and (c) emotional skills. Finally, as participants reflected after instruction, their decisions were characterized by (a) self-focus, (b) short-term versus long-term goals, and (c) reflective thinking. Findings suggest that metacognitive skills play a key role in the construction of expert band teachers’ specialized, automatized knowledge. Implications for music education are discussed.