NYSSMA Neurodiversity and Accessibility Committee

(Formerly titled: The Music For Special Learners Committee)

Music for All
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year, where we are focusing on creating accessible musical environments for ALL students. Below is a list of sessions that will be provided at this year’s NYSSMA Winter Conference, as well as resources that can be utilized in ALL types of musical classrooms, ensembles, technology labs, studios, etc.

Brian J. Wagner-Yeung
NYSSMA Chair – Neurodiversity & Accessibility

Neurodiversity & Accessibility Committee
Brian J. Wagner-Yeung, Chair
Dr. Elise S. Sobol, Previous Chair

Procedures for Accommodating Students with Disabilities at NYSSMA Solo and Ensemble Festivals
For students who require accommodations either for NYSSMA solo or ensemble festivals, there is a form that needs to be filled out by the teacher, parent/guardian, and principal. The form will need to be sent to the Festival Chairperson, and NYSSMA Zone Rep, at least six weeks prior to the adjudication or festival. The accommodations should be documented on a student’s IEP, or are accommodations that are regularly used during a student’s instructional program.

Teachers can access to form here: Procedures for Accommodating Students with Disabilities at NYSSMA Solo and Ensemble Festivals Form

For a list of suggested and allowable accommodations, teachers can use this resource from New York State: Accommodations for Testing

Neurodiversity & Accessibility Sessions at the 2023 NYSSMA Winter Conference
This year, we have a wide range of topics we will be presenting during our Neurodiversity & Accessibility sessions during our annual winter conference. Please take a look at our offerings.

21st Century Practices: Strategies for the Inclusion of Neurodivergent Learners in the Music Classroom
Presenter: Cody Messersmith
This session is intended to provide strategies which promote the equity and inclusion of neurodivergent learners within the context of the general music classroom. Attendees will discuss best practices in music education for students with exceptionalities. This session will provide ideas for high tech, low tech, and no tech adaptations.

Addressing Transgender Needs at the Primary & Secondary Levels
Presenters: Brit Schlude & Jessica Herman
Get to know safe boundaries and harm reduction practices for supporting the needs of transgender students at the primary and secondary levels, as well as supporting the needs of your transgender colleagues. These tips also support students of all genders to build an inclusive and safe classroom.

Developing Social-Emotional Skills in the Inclusive Music Classroom
Presenter: Christopher Cavarretta
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is an integral part of the music classroom and is important for all students. This session will give participants various activities/resources for the elementary music classroom, and implement SEL content areas directly into music-making.

Teaching Beginning Instrumentalists Using Imitation, Solfège, Iconic Notation, and Color
Presenters: Robert C. Jordan & Heather Waters
This session presents a scaffolded approach for teaching beginning instrumentalists that prioritizes strategies serving all learners and in particular, strategies that include students with learning differences. The approach begins without notation, using instrumental call and response and solfège syllables to address transposing wind instruments while reinforcing singable vowels and intonation.

Teaching Secondary Instrumental Music and Students with Differences and Disabilities
Presenter: Alice M. Hammel
Students with differences and disabilities can be integrated into bands and orchestras. This session is designed to provide practical and authentic strategies for including all students in secondary instrumental ensembles. A focus will be placed on adaptations of size, color, pacing, and modality.

Universal Design for Learning in the General Music Classroom
Presenter: Rachel Grimsby
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that encourages educators to consider how classroom environments or curricula may inhibit student learning. Universal Design for Learning encourages educators to consider the learning needs of all students through brain-based instruction. Typical general music activities will be presented through UDL.

Using Music to Facilitate Language, Communication, and Social Skills
Presenter: Brian J. Wagner-Yeung
The music classroom is the perfect place to develop language, communication, and social skills for ALL. Through singing, multisensory learning, UDL, assistive technology, and the use of scripts – ALL students can benefit and further enhance lifelong learning which they can generalize into their own lives and communities.

Requisite Understandings for Success in ALL Music Settings: Special Education
and Support Services
Presenters: Dr. Elise S. Sobol & Brian J. Wagner-Yeung
This teacher preparation session provides requisite understandings for classroom/performance programs as a key to success. With a joyous continuation of the Bias-Free PK-12 Classroom: What??? topics will include updates in current trends: policy and school practices; collaboration with colleagues/families; educational strategies for instruction and core teacher responses for engaging diverse learners.
* Workshop session will be posted under CNAfME in the conference booklet

Engaging All Learners: Tools & Techniques to Reach Different Types of Learners
in the Music Classroom
Presenter: Brian J. Wagner-Yeung
The music classroom can easily be an environment that utilizes a multi-sensory approach, so ALL students can achieve success. The session will focus on multiple ways music teachers can adapt and differentiate music literacy, composition, as well as how we can get students to actively listen to music.
* Workshop session will be posted under Classroom Music in the conference booklet

Previous Neurodiversity & Accessibility NYSSMA Winter Conference Sessions
2021 Winter Conference Special Learner Sessions
2022 Winter Conference Special Learner Sessions
2023 Winter Conference Neurodiversity & Accessibility Sessions

Federal & NYS Education Laws & Information
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Our Nation’s English Learners
U.S. Department of Education English Learner Fact Sheet
New York State Laws and Regulations Related to Special Education and Students with Disabilities

Music-Making, Accessible & Inclusive Ensembles, Programs & Studios
Daniel’s Music Foundation
Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School
Hug Music
Just Accessible Music (JAM)
Music Academy for Special Learners
Sonic Arts for All (SAFA!)
United Sound
Urban Arts Partnership (EASE)

Organizations, Professional Development, & Resources for Educators
ABLE Assembly (Arts Better the Lives of Everyone)
Arts for All Abilities Consortium
CEC Division of Visual and Performing Arts Education (DARTS)
Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Divas with Disabilities
ISME Special Music Education & Music Therapy
NAfME Children with Exceptionalities Special Research Interest Group (SRIG)
VSA The Kennedy Center

Assistive Musical Technology & Adaptive Musical Resources
Artiphon
Beamz
EyeHarp
Figurenotes
Jamboxx
Makey Makey
Orba
Skoog
Skwitch
Soundbeam
Specdrums

Literature for Music & Diverse Learners
An Attitude and Approach for Teaching Music to Special Learners (Third Edition)
Elise S. Sobol

Exceptional Music Pedagogy for Children with Exceptionalities (International Perspectives)
Deborah VanderLinde Blair & Kimberly A. McCord

Including Everyone: Creating Music Classrooms Where All Children Learn
Judith A. Jellison

The Music and Literacy Connection
Dee Hansen, Elaine Bernstorf & Gayle M. Stuber

Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Hear of Teaching Music
Scott N. Edgar

Music in Special Education (Third Edition)
Mary S. Adamek & Alice-Ann Darrow

Special Needs, Community Music, and Adult Learning (An Oxford Handbook of Music Education, Volume 4)
Gary E. McPherson & Graham F. Welch

Spotlight on Making Music with Special Learners: Selected Articles from State MEA Journals (Spotlight Series)
MENC: The National Association for Music Education

Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs: A Label Free Approach (Second Edition)
Alice M. Hammel & Ryan M. Hourigan

Winding it Back: Teaching to Individual Differences in Music Classroom and Ensemble Settings
Alice M. Hammel, Roberta Y. Hickox & Ryan M. Hourigan

Literature for Inclusive Environments & Teaching
Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally
Emily Ladau

Disability Visability: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century
Alice Wong

Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner

Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life
Thomas Armstrong

UDL Now! A Teacher’s Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning (Third Edition)
Katie Novak

Unlearning: Changing Your Beliefs and Your Classroom with UDL
Allison Posey & Katie Novak

Publications by NYSSMA Chairs for Neurodiversity & Accessibility
Sobol, E. S. (August 1994). Music Success for Special Learners, Inclusion Buzzword
of Hope for the Future! New York: New York State Council of Educational Associations.

Sobol, E. S. (September 1994). “The Red, Green, Yellow, Song” in NYSSMA Notes.
Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (January 1995). “Assembly Programs” in NYSSMA Notes.
Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (March 1995). “Music Success for Special Learners.” in
School Music News. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (May/June 1995). “Music and the Mouse.” In NYSSMA Notes.
Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (November 1995). “Magic Microphone and Awesome Video Camera.” in
NYSSMA Notes. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (February 1997). “It Depends on Y.O.U.” in NYSSMA Notes. Westbury, NY:
New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (December 1998). “Loud, Louder, Loudest.” in School Music News.
Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (October 1999). “Communication through Music: A Language beyond
Words” in School Music News. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (August 2001). “Is That Your Joanna There? The Musical Rhythmic Intelligence.
How Fantastic!” School Music News. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E. S. (December 2001). “Instructional Music Teaching for Special Learners”
School Music News. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Sobol, E.S. (2001). An Attitude and Approach for Teaching Music to Special Learners
Raleigh, NC: Pentland Press

E. S. (2004). “Loud, Louder, Loudest-Teaching the Dynamics of Life.” in Spotlight on
Making Music with Special Learners. Reston, VA: MENC: The National Association for Music Education, 68–71.

Wagner, B. (2015). Engaging All Learners: Tools and Techniques to Reach Different Types of Learners in the Music Classroom. School Music News. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Wagner, B. (2016). Making Connections for Special Learners: Using Repertoire to Enhance Lifelong Learning. School Music News. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Wagner, B. (2016). Using Repertoire to Enhance Lifelong Learning. Music in a Minuet. Reston, VA: National Association for Music Education.

Wagner, B. (2017). Using a Differentiated Rhythmic and Melodic Notation System for Special Learners in All Musical Settings. Tempo. Lakewood, NJ: New Jersey Music Educators Association.

Wagner, B. (2017). Engaging All Types of Learners in the Music Classroom. Music in a Minuet. Reston, VA: National Association for Music Education.

Wagner-Yeung, B. (2018). Teaching Lessons to Children with Special Needs. Music in a Minuet. Reston, VA: National Association for Music Education.

Wagner-Yeung, B. (2018). Behavioral Supports for Students with Special Needs in Musical Environments. Music in a Minuet. Reston, VA: National Association for Music Education.

Wagner-Yeung, B. (2019). Related Service Providers in the Music Classroom. DARTS Newsletter. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.

Wagner-Yeung, B. (2020). Distance Learning for Special Learners in the Music Classroom. Music in a Minuet. Reston, VA: National Association for Music Education.

Wagner-Yeung, B. (2020). Let’s Make Music! Engaging Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the K-8 General Music Classroom. Coralville, IA: Music ConstructED.

Wagner-Yeung, B. (2021). Neurodiversity in the Music Classroom: Using the Strengths of All Students During In-Person and Remote Learning. School Music News. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Wagner-Yeung, B. (2022). Inclusive Strategies for Students with ASD in the Music Room. Coralville, IA: Music ConstructED.

Wagner-Yeung, B. (2023). What’s in a Label? An Inclusive Person-First & Strength-Based Approach. School Music News. Westbury, NY: New York State School Music Association.

Contact Brian J. Wagner-Yeung (NYSSMA Chair – Neurodiversity & Accessibility) at brianwagneryeung@gmail.com for handouts from previous NYSSMA conferences, articles, additional websites, and resources.

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