Neuroscience

Pedagogy

Perception

Clinical psychology

World Wide Web

Developmental psychology

Psychology

Special education

Computer science

Wheelchair

Applied psychology

International Journal of Music Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of disability simulations on the attitudes of individuals who will be working with children with special needs in music settings and to compare these attitudes between student music therapists and pre-service music educators. Each participant completed a questionnaire on the first day of class and again after participating in a disability simulation approximately two weeks later. The disabilities simulated included an individual with a one-arm amputation, an individual requiring mobility in a wheelchair due to paralysis, an individual with a hearing impairment, and an individual with a visual impairment. Results indicated that participants had more positive attitudes after experiencing the simulation although there was no difference between majors (music therapy or music education). Results also indicated that attitudes showed a greater shift when statements on the questionnaire were stated negatively rather than positively. Limitations and implications for future studies were discussed.

Simulating disabilities as a tool for altering individual perceptions of working with children with special needs