Musical Opportunities for Exceptional Students through New Controllers and Software!



    FMEA 2019

Dr. Fred Kersten

Florida Music Education Association

January 10, 2019,  1:45 PM




 Presentation Handout

Audio Recording of Presentation


Presentation Overview
*Usable opportunities for accommodation and inclusion of students with exceptionalities in the music classroom
through utilization of
music technology will be the focus of this presentation. Students with exceptionalities can
perform expressively, compose, and enjoy music at high levels with technology support. Software, examples of
ongoing research, current projects, and various commissions in action will be explored as part of the presentation.


*The Drake Music Project will be scrutinized for its valuable features and direction exploring new avenues of musical
opportunity for individuals with
exceptionalities.  In addition to opportunities for disabled musicians of all ages and
abilities to explore, compose, and perform music, the project illustrates
possibilities  for disabled and non-disabled
artists to be able to perform together.


*Visually Impaired, Physically Handicapped, and Hearing Impaired are areas of exceptionality that will be considered.
Dedicated software perused will include:
Braille Music Translator, JAWS Screen Reader, GOODFEEL 2.6,
Caketalking for
Sonar 6,  Sibelius Speaking 3, and E-Scape. New iPad Apps such as iKaossilator. and Beamz will be explored. 

*The following hardware will be examined for important contributions to music performance and composition:
New OSX Refreshable Braille Display Devices, Yamaha WX5 Midi Wind Controller,
Quintet, The Magic Flute, Soundbeam 2, Portico accessibility computer, and Braille Lite Millenium Series M20 & M40.


*Visually, Hearing, and Physically impaired individuals have many opportunities to learn and participate in music through music technology.  Suggestions for accommodation in the classroom will be provided. Hardware and software will be explained and illustrated through the use of movies.



Dr. Fred Kersten has extensive experience teaching students with   
exceptionalities at both public school, and college levels. He has published two chapters on visually impaired music instruction in major anthologies as well as research in The Historical Journal of Music Education, and MEJ.  His dissertation was written on visually impaired music education opportunities.

He has presented on musical accommodation for visually impaired at the Goldwater Hospital in NYC, and ISME in Bristol, England.