Interprofessional Occupational Therapy and Music Therapy Piano Keyboard Intervention for Preschoolers with Visual Impairments: A Non-Randomized Pilot Case Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT People of all ages can appreciate and engage in the occupation of music. Music can be enjoyed through listening, playing an instrument, singing, and dancing. It has significance in many people’s lives; however, few intervention programs outside the field of music therapy exist that capitalize on the therapeutic potential of music in pediatric populations with disabilities. More specifically, when utilized in an enriched sensory environment, the auditory stimuli and feedback music naturally provide becomes a therapeutic tool especially for children with visual impairments. We designed an interprofessional intervention program, combining the expertise of an occupational therapist and of a music therapist to systematically teach piano keyboarding to preschool children with impaired vision. We conducted a small, mixed methods non-randomized pilot case study to determine how such a program could be successfully embedded into a preschool setting, to examine if fine motor skills improve post-intervention, and to study the perceived effects on participants and their families. Participants were selected from an urban preschool classroom designed specifically for children with visual impairments, and four students met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Preliminary results suggest that fine motor skills did improve after participating in this program for 20 minutes twice a week, over a 6-week period. Participants found the “just right challenge” through song selection and progressed toward defined song mastery within 1–2 sessions, maintaining motivation and enjoyment. In addition, the program was successfully integrated into the preschool schedule and a parent interview revealed favorable perceptions of the programs and its effects.