 
by Carmen Willings
.jpg)
image:
Blind Man with Yellow Piano in Analog Time - Charles
Riley (2017)
Music class is a preferred activity for many students who are blind and visually
impaired, but it shouldn't be assumed that all students that are blind will be
musicians or be uniquely gifted in this area. Like other areas of the
curriculum, adaptations may be necessary to allow the student who is blind or
visually impaired to fully participate.
Many aspects of the music program will be the same for students who are sighted
and students who are blind or visually impaired. There are some strategies that
will help students access the curriculum.
Students should be exposed to a variety of musical instruments from a young age.
Show students the different ways that music can be produced. Listening to the
differences in sounds will help the student develop auditory discrimination
skills. Expose the student to a variety of types of music (ex. concerts, CD's,
YouTube videos, etc.) to help develop music appreciation.
The Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) and the general education
music teacher should collaborate, at a very minimum at the beginning of the
school year, to review activities and lessons that will be taught throughout the
year. If the student will need to read music, it may be necessary to provide
enlarged music scores or instruct a student who is blind in the braille music
code if the student is a braille reader. Even if the student is using the
braille music code, they should be familiarized with print symbols that are used
(using tactual graphics) so they can understand terms and descriptions used by
their sighted peers. Also, it may be necessary to determine if there is a need
for non-visual prompts during conducting.
To help a student practice their scales or other music at home, YouTube videos
can be a great resource. Collaborate with the music instructor to ensure that
the correct version of the song or the correct scale is available. Copy and send
the link home to the family to allow the student to listen and practice at home.
Picture of a sheet of music paired with braille
Braille Music Code
Braille music is a form of the six dot braille code used in literary braille.
The code includes all the information presented on a standard sheet of a music
score including notes and their values, dynamic, expression marks, and
fingering. Braille music score is presented in a linear form. In teaching a
piano score, the score for the one hand is presented followed by the score for
the other hand. Once the student has learned each score, they then play with
both hands together. For this reason, it will take longer for a student to learn
printed music scores than sighted students. Students must learn to memorize
music in order to perform it as sight reading music is not possible with the
braille music code as the student will need to read the score tactually instead
of visually.
Additional Resources
The music braille code
The music braille code is used internationally. Copies of the music code are
available for purchase in hardcopy print and braille from the APH or can be
downloaded from BANA.
Braille Music Code manual
BRL.org offers a very detailed braille music code manual.
Dancing Dots offers technology, educational resources and training to
assist blind and low vision individuals to read, write, and record their music.
Their products and services foster inclusion, literacy and independence for
visually impaired musicians and audio producers engaged in educational, leisure,
and professional pursuits.
How to read braille music book
'How to Read Braille Music' by Bettye Krolick provides the basics in clear
terms with an emphasis on accessibility. The examples are short, fun and to the
point. The book identifies music symbols frequently encountered in elementary to
intermediate music with an index for identifying new symbols as they are found.
View the pages for free on the internet archive!
Opus Technologies
Opus Technologies offers software, print, and braille materials for learning and
using braille, especially braille music. Products include books and software for
music braille, and popular braille sheet music.
ϟ
Δ
|
