Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Khrystyna Bednarchyk

Committee Member

David Weintraub

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

music instruction, intellectual disabilities, cognitive disabilities, music curriculum

Abstract

This applied dissertation was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Prodigies music program in supporting students with moderate to severe/profound intellectual or cognitive disabilities in making progress on meeting state music standards. While there are other music programs available, no study has been conducted on the Prodigies program, and there are limited studies on the impact of music programs on special education students' ability to understand and functionally play music.

The researcher recruited five students with severe/profound disabilities from a self-contained special education school. Relying on a multiple probe research design, the researcher evaluated the effectiveness of the Prodigies music program over three tiers of instruction accounting for baseline, treatment, and maintenance phases for areas of music knowledge, playing ability, and level of engagement. Participant baseline levels were collected through a touch response assessment and observation of student behavior where students had no previous music knowledge, playing ability, and engagement was low to moderate in level through observable behaviors.

Visual data analysis and a pre- and posttest measures revealed the effectiveness of the Prodigies music program on participants' level of music knowledge, playing ability, and level of engagement. A significant gain in knowledge and playing ability was demonstrated, and engagement levels increased and were maintained throughout the program. The study's outcome yielded conclusive results regarding the Prodigies program's positive effectiveness in supporting music learning in students with significant disabilities.

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