Andrew Ribo Students with Special Needs or Exceptionalities 9/6/21

Background Information

Student A

Education Level:
High School
First Year
Classes:
Percussion 1
Spirit Marching Band

Special Need(s), Disability(s):

The student has cerebral palsy and limited use of the left side of their body and must
move using a walker or wheelchair. The student cannot stand unaided for long periods of time.
In band, the student only has use of their right hand. Though intellectually as capable as any
other neurotypical student, Student A struggles to execute most tasks in class.

Modifications:
As done in class, this student only uses their right hand for playing. For marching band,
the student is transported around by a section or family member and plays a hi-hat instead of
crash cymbals. In Percussion 1, the student does similar work, and does their best to play the
same music as the other students with one hand. I would posit that simplified rhythms (for right
hand only, adapted tempo possibly as well) be given to this student to allow them to have greater
success. As it is known, students have higher achievement levels over time when they have
more regular success. The student has expressed a lack of direction in class, which I believe
could be addressed by creating specific materials catered to their needs and parallel to the goals
of class that would allow the student to create meaning out of their musical experience.
In marching band, the student plays a hi-hat in place of crash cymbals, is moved with the
band during pregame by a family member and plays with the cymbal line in stand band. These
adaptations seem to work functionally, but socially the student is still isolated. I would
recommend a permanent student liaison/band buddy for band activities so that there is a band
member working to actively include the student in social activities as the liaison and student see
fit. This situation would allow the student to have greater social involvement in the group, which
is an essential aspect of any music education.
Andrew Ribo Students with Special Needs or Exceptionalities 9/6/21
Background Information

Student B:

Education Level:
High School
Fourth Year
Classes:
Concert Band, Spirit Marching Band

Special Need(s), Disability(s):

The student is classified as having multiple learning disabilities. The student often
struggles understanding instructions and has a speech impediment. It is to be noted that the
student would qualify best for placement in the United Sound Band, a program that is designed
for students with special needs to learn band instruments with peer mentors, but since the student
participated in middle school band, it was deemed to be unfair to the student to demote them in a
manner of sorts.

Modifications:
The student plays tuba and struggles to play anything outside of the bottom of the first
partial. The student also struggles with rhythm and fingering memorization, though has
excellent lung capacity and implementation, though they struggle with air management. I would
recommend that the student be considered for a transition to United Sound. The student
struggles in a concert band setting and though I have not seen the student expressing the
emotional impact of that struggle, I do suspect they feel like they are dragging the ensemble
down somewhat. United Sound is a truly no judgement environment where the student would
get one-on-one interactions and instruction that they are lacking in an ensemble setting. If this
cannot be achieved, I would recommend that the student spend at least half of their playing time
on their mouthpiece. When working with them in sectionals, the student had little issue creating
and sustaining pitches well beyond the first partial (being up into the third and fourth partials),
and when transitioning back to the instrument, the student created a pitch on the instrument in
the third partial, which their regular teacher said had not happened before. My hope is that with
continued embouchure reinforcement and aural training on the mouthpiece that the student can
achieve greater success on their instrument.