Accessible guitar playing: Exploring participatory design of digital musical instruments in a special educational needs school

Abstract

We present the design and evaluation of several digital musical instruments (DMIs) inspired by practices of guitar playing using open-source technology. The DMIs were designed using a participatory design process involving four children who expressed an interest in playing the guitar, and two music teachers at a German special educational needs (SEN) school. The instruments were integrated into various educational activities and evaluated through observations and qualitative interviews with the music teachers. One of the primary contributions of our study, in addition to the instruments themselves, is an understanding of the intricate and hitherto unexplored domain of designing in SEN schools. Our findings indicate that the DMIs facilitate motivating access to music making and contribute to the development of musical and non-musical competencies. Furthermore, we discovered that adequate educational activities and emotional support are equally crucial factors for the successful implementation of DMIs in the SEN school context.