3. The basics of music therapy
The basics of special education
Status of music therapy and special education
4. Music therapy is: “the clinical and evidence-based use of music
interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic
relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an
approved music therapy program” (American Music Therapy Association,
2011).
Music therapists work with a variety of populations and age ranges. For
the purpose of this study, children in public school special education
were the focus. Music therapists can also
work with: newborns,
adults with developmental
disabilities, hospice patients, patients
recovering from a stoke or traumatic
brain injury, people with cerebral
palsy, down syndrome, post traumatic stress
disorder, people in prison, etc.
5. The Individuals with Disabilities in Education
Improvement Act of 2004 is an amended law directed
at “ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation,
independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for
individuals with disabilities” (A.c.1).
Related Services: additional amenities that may be required to assist
the student in their education.
Transportation
Counseling
Therapies: speech, occupational, (music)
Nursing
1:1 classroom aid
In 2001, 8.9 % of students ages six through twenty-one were receiving
special education services (Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services 2003).
No specific data was found to show what related services these
students were receiving as part of their special education services.
6. In 2010, over 350 music therapists were working
with school age children- only 244 music
therapists 1999 (Elkins, 2010).
Music therapy delivery in special education
(Wilson 2002):
Direct service model
Consultative service model
Ropp (2006) study of 76 special education
administrators.
Administrator’s perception of music therapy influenced their respect for its
effectiveness
May influence whether they would fund music therapy as part of their
program.
7. Purpose of study: examine the current state of
music therapy in public schools in Iowa and
school administrator’s perception of music
therapy.
Research questions:
What is the current practice of music therapy in public
schools in Iowa?
What is the perception of music therapy by school
administrators?
What factors and additional information would
encourage providing music therapy?
9. 2011-2012 Iowa Short, online survey
Public School District was constructed.
Directory found on the Q 1-4: demographic
Iowa Department of data
Education website Q 5-7: music therapy
(Iowa Department of in their district
Education).
Q 8: more info on
100 surveys sent music therapy
initially, another 50
sent two weeks later Q 9: 13 statements on
perceptions of music
17 total responses therapy
10. Distributed via given Basic percentages
email address Variance
Given 2 weeks to Standard deviation
complete, with a
reminder.
All data collected
anonymously
11.
12. 1. What is your job title? 550-599
Superintendent 600-649
Principal 650-699
Assistant Principal 700+
Vice Principal 5. Are you aware of music therapy as a related service for
Other (sped ed director, student services director) students in special education?
2. Are you directly or indirectly involved in supervising Yes, I am well informed of music therapy.
special education services for your district? Yes, I have heard of music therapy but require
Yes more information
no No
3. How many students attend school in your district- all 6. How many music therapists does your district currently
students kindergarten through twelfth grade? employ or contract with?
0-499 None
500-999 None, but previously
1000-1499 1- part time
1500-1999 more than one part time
2000-2499 1- full time
2500-2999 more than one full time
3000-3499 7. Have you or your district been contacted by a music
3500-3999 therapist about providing music therapy services in the
past five years?
4000+ Yes
4. How many students in your district currently receive No
special education services?
0-99 Not that I am aware of
100-199
200-299
300-399
400-499
500-549
13.
14. Number of Range of Standard
participants Mean Variance
Scores Deviation
I understand the
basics of music Strongly Disagree 4 2.8 3 1.74 1.32
therapy.
Disagree 2
Neither disagree nor
2
agree
Agree 7
Strongly Agree 0
SD 0
Music therapy is D 8
beneficial to students N 8 3.5 1 .26 .516
with special needs. A 0
SA 0
SD 0
Music therapy is an
D 3
essential component
N 11 2.87 2 .26 .516
of a special education
A 1
program.
SA 0
SD 0
Music therapy can
D 0
benefit students with
N 7 3.5 1 .269 .519
physical or motor
A 7
disabilities.
SA 0
15. SD 0
Music therapy can D 6
benefit students with N 8 3.67 2 .380 .617
emotional needs. A 1
SA 0
SD 0
Music therapy can
D 7
benefit students with
N 7 3.6 3 .401 .633
social or behavioral
A 1
needs.
SA 1
SD 0
Music therapy can
D 0
benefit students with
N 7 3.5 1 .269 .519
cognitive or learning
A 7
needs.
SA 0
SD 0
Music therapy can
D 7
benefit students with
N 7 3.6 2 .4 .632
communication
A 1
needs.
SA 0
SD 0
Music therapy most
D 2
benefits students who
N 8 3.2 2 .439 .663
have natural music
A 5
ability.
SA 0
16. SD 0
Music therapy must be D 1
facilitated by a
credential music
N 9 3.5 3 .8 .894
therapist. A 3
SA 3
SD 0
D 2
Music therapy focuses
on musical goals.
N 11 3.13 3 .516 .719
A 2
SA 1
SD 0
D 0
Music therapy focuses
on non musical goals.
N 12 3.27 2 .352 .593
A 2
SA 1
SD 0
Music therapy is an D 1
expensive service to N 11 3.19 2 .296 .543
offer. A 4
SA 0
17.
18. Are you aware of music therapy as a related service for
students in special education?
No
35%
Yes, I am well
informed of
music therapy.
35%
Yes, I have
heard of music
therapy but
require more
information.
30%
21. Large scale study
Interviews/Open ended survey questions
Interviews school districts who employ or contract
with music therapists
Educate music therapists of findings
22. American Music Therapy Association (2011). What is music therapy?. American Music Therapy Association. Retrieved
February 15, 2012, from http://www.musictherapy.org/about/musictherapy/
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research.
(4th ed.). Lincoln, Nebraska: Pearson.
Elkins, A. K. (Ed.). (2010). A descriptive statistical profile of the 2010 AMTA membership. In 2010 AMTA Member
Sourcebook. (pp. 205-226). Silver Spring, MD: American Music Therapy Association.
Herring, W. L., McGrath, D. J., & Buckley, J. A. (2007). Issue Brief: Demographic and school characteristics of students
receiving special education in the elementary grades (NCES 2007-005). Washington D. C.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, STAT. 2647, 108th Cong., 1st Sess. (2004).
Iowa Department of Education (2011). Iowa School District Directories. Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved March 1,
2012, from http://http://www.educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=692&Itemid=1506
Nelson, C. L. (2010). Meeting the needs of urban students: Creative arts therapy in Jersey City public schools. Art Therapy:
Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 27(2), 62-68.
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (2003).Twenty-fifth annual report to congress on the implementation
of the individuals with disabilities education act. U.S Department of Education. Washington, DC Retrieved from:
http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/osep/2003/index.html
Ropp, C. R., et al. (2006). Special education administrators' perceptions of music therapy in special education programs.
Music Therapy Perspectives, 24(2), 87-93.
Smith, D. S., & Hairston, M. J. (1999). Music therapy in schools settings: Current practice. Journal of Music Therapy, 36(4),
274-292.
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Digest of Education Statistics, 2010 (NCES
2011-015), Table 5. Retrieved from: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d10/tables/dt10_005.asp
Wilson, B. L. (2002). Models of Music Therapy Interventions in School Settings. Silver Spring, MD: American Music
Therapy Association.
Notas del editor
My name is Denise Coovert and this is my research project entitled “The current state and perception of music therapy in special education by public school administrators in Iowa.”
This presentation will look at past and current research regarding music therapy in special education, why I choose this topic, how this research project was constructed, the results following the survey and further discussion for future research.
First, we will look at some background information and current research in this area.
So, first some background. What is music therapy? According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is “the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” This means, I as a music therapist, have graduated from an approved institution completing each requirement, pass a exam giving the credential: MT-BC (music therapist, board certified) and then use these skills to maintain or improve goals in the domains of physical, communication, cognition, social and emotion with people using the element of music. I am focusing on today clients who are currently part of public school special education.
All special education services in the United States follow the protocols set forth by The IDEA or “Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act. This law governs who, what, when, where and why of students requiring special education. One section under the IDEA is known as “related services.” Related services are any additional accommodations that may be required to assist the student in their education. Related services may included, but are not limited to: transportation assistance, additional counseling, adjunct therapies, nursing, a classroom aid, etc. In my research, I found sound numbers measuring how many students receive special education, but it was difficult to impossible to find how many students received related services as part of their special education. In 2001, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services reported that 8.9% of students were receiving special education services. This is also an increase from the last time they reported in 1992. But, it was difficult to determine the relationship between students receiving special education services and related services. No specific data was found to show what related services these students were receiving as part of their special education services.
Now we must examine the current practice of music therapy in special education. Elkins did a study that showed 350 music therapists stated they were working with school age children in 2010. This is compared to 244 back in 1999. This study did not investigate into what capacity the music therapists worked with the students. It could be in their schools, homes or as part of therapy program. The study also showed each music therapist work with on average, 75 students per week. My research focuses on music therapy as part of their special education services. There are two avenues of delivering music therapy as part of a special education program. The first is the direct service model. The music therapist is part of the school team and delivers music therapy directly and regularly to the student. In the consultative model, the music therapists gives advice, oversees and consults with those who work directly with the student. This may be appropriate in a less extreme case or a student who only has limited needs. My study did not distinguish between these two models. Finally I examined a recent survey, which I modeled my survey after, given by a music therapist in Illinois. Ropp polled 76 special education administrators in the state of Illinois about their perceptions of music therapy in special education. Ropp concluded that the administrators’ perception of music therapy influenced their respect for its effectiveness and therefore could play a significant factor on whether they would distribute funding to music therapy if given the opportunity.
So based on this information I began my research: The purpose of this study was to examine the current state of music therapy in public schools in the Iowa. This state was chosen because it is the author’s current state of residence. This study looked to explore the following questions: What is the current practice of music therapy in public schools in the state of Iowa? What is the perception of music therapy by school administrators related to special education students? What factors and additional information would encourage school administrators to considering providing music therapy in their districts?
This section will examine the specifics of my study including the potential participants, the survey construction and distribution and analysis that was used.
Possible participants were gathered from the 2011-2012 Iowa Public School District Directory found on the Iowa Department of Education website (Iowa Department of Education). Out of 375 on the list, Every 3rd person on the list, until 100 were identified were sent a survey. Two weeks later, I determined more responses were needed, so another 50 (again selected by randomly choosing every third person) surveys were sent. A total of 17 responses were gathered. The first four questions gathered demographic data regarding the participants and their districts . Questions five through seven focused on current music therapy services in their district. Question eight asked participants to state what other information they would need to consider music therapy services in their district. The final question was a series or statements and asked participants to use a five point likert scale (i.e. 1= strongly disagree, 2= disagree, 3= neither agree nor disagree, 4= agree, 5=strongly agree) to examine perception of music therapy.
The surveys were distributed online through the administrator’s emails. Once they received the survey, they were given two weeks to complete it and reminded with 3 days remaining if that had not completed the survey. All survey data was collected anonymously. Analyzing the basic demographic data included examining the mean number of students receiving special education services and that percentage compared to the overall district population. Variance and standard deviation was determined for the likert items asking participants to state their agreement level to the several statements regarding music therapy.
So, here are the results from my survey. I’m going to go over each question very briefly and then in the discussion, point out a few key findings.
Question one asked:What is your job title? Superintendent88.20% stated they were superintendent of their districtQuestion two asked:2. Are you directly or indirectly involved in supervising special education services for your district?yes88.20%Question 3 :3. How many students attend school in your district- all students kindergarten through twelfth grade?Almost 2/3 of participants stated there are 1500 or fewer students in their district.4. How many students in your district currently receive special education services?Over 80% of the districts reported 300 or fewer students in their district receive special education services. Remember, questions 5-7 looked at music therapy in school districts.Are you aware of music therapy as a related service for students in special education?These responses were almost evenly split each way.6. How many music therapists does your district currently employ or contract with?Only one district currently employs 1 part time music therapist and one district employs one full time music therapist.Have you or your district been contacted by a music therapist about providing music therapy services in the past five years?The majority of participants stated they had not been or were not aware of a music therapist contacting them within the past five years.
This graph shows the responses to question 8: The largest percentage (71.4%) sought additional access to conclusive music therapy research.
These are first four statements. Each participants was asked to select their level of agreement with each statement. The largest variance was found in the first statement. Participants’ responses ranged from strongly disagree to agree. This shows a wide range of understanding of the basics of music therapy. Statements 2-4 showed a smaller range and variance.
The largest range from this state of statements came from “Music therapy can benefit students with social or behavioral needs.” The average ‘agreement level’ (on a scale of 1-5) was 3.6
One statement of note is found on the last four statements: “Music therapy focuses on musical goals.” The average agreement level was 3.13 indicating a middle agreement level.
Now that we have looked at each question’s response, I would like to point out how and why the data reveals certain information and finally my recommendations for future research in this data.
This question gives us the first glimpse of the school administrator’s knowledge of music therapy. My production was that the majority would either not have heard of music therapy or would require more information. The responses showed, however an almost 3 way split between responses. A further study could go into greater detail asking those participants who said they were well informed of music therapy questions like “where did you learn about music therapy?” “describe what you know about music therapy. Etc.”
When we looked at this graph previously, I stated that over 70% of participants wanted additional knowledge of music therapy research to help inform their decisions about music therapy for their districts. Of course, with tight budgets, reimbursement sources of music therapy services also ranked high priority. One surprise I found from this information was the lack of interest in learning more about the music therapy credential. Many music therapists put extra emphasis on their education and training as one reason potential clients should hire them as opposed to another option. Perhaps this information shows what potential clients or school administrators most value for their students.
I want to point out participant’s responses to the statement: “Music therapy focuses on music goals.” One of the main pillars of music therapy is that a music therapist uses the elements of music to target NONmusical goals. In an early question, 2/3 of participants stated they had at least heard of music therapy if not understood the basics of it. 14/16 answers on this statement said the neither disagreed nor agreed all the way up to strongly agreed with this statement. This is alarming to me because I would want all participants to state “strongly disagree” to show their understanding of music therapy. This statement shows music therapists need to make a strongly point of explaining music therapy to school administrators.
So, I would finally like share my suggestions for future research and where I see my study going. First, my study could be made into a larger scale study. The most ideal form of this would be to revamb the survey and send it to a large, reprehensive sample through the state or country. This way, the data collected would be much more reliable and useable in real life. Along with this, future research could include in depth interviews or more open ended survey questions. While my study asked for the participant’s opinions it could not ask follow up questions or for them to explain their reasoning. Also, I would like to talk to school districts who currently work with music therapists to discuss how and why they have incorporated music therapy into their special education programs. This would give great insight for other districts and music therapists who would like to choose this same option. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, I want to tell other music therapists about my study. I think music therapists would find this information interesting and perhaps useful in the areas where they work. Thank you so much for your time. The final slide include the resources I used for this study. Thank you.
