FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING INTERACTIVE VIDEODISC FOR INSERVICE MUSIC EDUCATOR TRAINING

MORE THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER AREA OF THE ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM, MUSIC CLASSES HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTEGRATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES INTO GENERAL EDUCATION SETTINGS. MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICA'S MUSICEDUCATORS HAVE SOME CONTACT WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES,AND EXTENSIVE RESEARCH HAS IDENTIFIED EDUCATIONAL APPROACHESAND CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE MUSIC MAINSTREAMING. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST MUSIC EDUCATORS STILL VIEW THEMSELVES ASUNPREPARED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CURRICULAR AND PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS FOR MAINSTREAMED STUDENTS. AS A RESULT, THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE NOT ENJOYING THEFULL BENEFITS OF MUSIC EDUCATION, AND OUR SCHOOLS ARE UNABLETO REALIZE THE GOALS OF P.L. 94-142. THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF EXISTING KNOWLEDGE IN RESEARCH LITERATURE, PRODUCTS, AND EXPERT AND PRACTITIONER OPINION, VSA EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (IN COOPERATION WITH MACRO SYSTEMS,INC.) WILL DESIGN AN INTERACTIVE VIDEODISC PROGRAM TO PROVIDE IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR MUSIC EDUCATORS ON HOW TO ACCOMMODATE YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES IN GENERAL ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC CLASSES. OUR PROPOSED PROJECT COMBINES THE GREATEST CURRENT OPPORTUNITY TO INTEGRATE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN GENERAL EDUCATION SETTINGS (MUSIC CLASSROOMS) WITH THE MOST ADVANCED INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY (INTERACTIVE VIDEODISC) TO TRAIN A NATIONAL CADREOF TEACHERS AND TO MAKE THE JOY OF MUSIC FULLY ACCESSIBLE TOALL CHILDREN.