Making Musical Masterpieces: How Assistive Technology Can Engage Learners With Autism
By de Graft-Hanson, Christine; Closing the Gap, Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 8-9Publication Date: June/July 2006
Article focuses on how music software programs can be used to engage and benefit children with autism. Many people with autism are primarily visual and auditory learners, while musical activities that involve movement and active participation can be particularly effective. Musical Leaps and Bounds from SEMERC consists of music and listening activities that encourage children to express their thoughts and ideas through music. The program features a wide range of activities, all of which involve friendly characters that make different kinds of sounds. Leaps and Bounds 3 is another CD-ROM from SEMERC that features cartoon creatures that use different parts of their body to make different sounds. The concept of using different parts of the body to produce sounds can be a highly effective introduction to musical composition and performance. BlackCat Compose from Primary Tools is a music composition program that allows the user to experiment with over 70 different musical sounds. The program uses images to represent different musical phrases, while the composition process is quick and easy. The author contends that these programs can help to reduce the anxiety of parents or teachers who are not particularly musical, but who would like to engage in musical activities with their children or students.
Assistive Products Discussed: LEAPS AND BOUNDS 2
LEAPS AND BOUNDS 1
LEAPS AND BOUNDS 3
Published by: Closing the Gap, Inc. (Website:http://www.closingthegap.com)
