Special Education Administrators' Perceptions of Music Therapy in Special Education Programs

ABSTRACT: Music therapy has been shown to be beneficial in treating and remediating learning deficits in students with various disabilities currently served through special education services. As public schools face more financial constraints, it is evident that the development and/or maintenance of music therapy positions may be increasingly jeopardized. In this study, 81 surveys regarding Illinois special education program administrators' perceptions of music therapy efficacy and practice were completed. Responses pertaining to demographics, knowledge, and perceptions of music therapy were analyzed. Results indicated that graduate level studies and experience with music therapy programs were the two variables that had a significant effect on administrators' perceptions. Implications and recommendations for educational programming and professional preparation are discussed. Music therapy has been shown to be beneficial in treating and remediating learning deficits in students with various disabilities currently served through special education services. Special education is federally guided by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 (P.L. No. 105-17). This law requires that all children receive a free appropriate public education (FARE) through specially designed instruction at no additional cost to the family. Turnbull, Turnbull, Shank, and Smith (2004) reported that 11.4% of the public school population, or almost 5.75 million students, received special education during the 1999-2000 school year. On July 1, 2002, the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE) reported that the number of students receiving services had reached 6 million, and one half of those had a specific learning disability (Koch, 2004). As reported in the 2003 annual report for the state of Illinois, the percentage of students receiving special education in that state is above the national average and continues to climb, having been over 14% in 2001, 2002, and 2003 (Koch, 2004). Considering these data and the fact that the first author is a member of the Illinois Music Therapy Association (IAMT), this study focused on perceptions of special education administrators in Illinois. The IDEA outlines requirements for special education eligibility, including thorough evaluation of the child's health and sensory status, social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communicative status, and motor abilities. Information from these evaluations is then used to design an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that provides for the FAPE that each student needs. The IDEA states that related services must be provided, as necessary, to complete the IEP. While music therapy is not specifically listed and defined in the IDEA as a related service, it is included in Attachment 1 to IDEA '97 as an example of other related services that may be included in order for a student to receive FAPE (Mattson, 2001). Attachment 1 also lists artistic and cultural programs, art therapy, and dance therapy as related services. The National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) website displays the American Music Therapy Association's (AMTA) definition of music therapy and discusses music therapy as a related service when it is "used to strengthen nonmusical areas such as academic skills, physical coordination, communication, sensory-motor development, expression of emotions, and stress reduction" (AMTA, 2004). Music therapy involves the application of music techniques to address non-musical behaviors including those related to physical, emotional, cognitive, and social concerns. The AMTA (1999) asserted that "music therapy improves the quality of life for persons who are well and meets the needs of children and adults with disabilities or illnesses." Specific music therapy interventions promote wellness, stress management, reduction and alleviation of pain, expression of feelings, memory enhancement, improved communication, and physical rehabilitation. …