Hidden in Plain Sight: A Music Therapist and Music Educator in a Public School District

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to clarify the roles of a music educator and music therapist in a North American public school district. This case was unique because some of the students with special needs received both music instruction and music therapy services, yet there was little collaboration between the two disciplines. In an effort to learn more about each music discipline and to add to the knowledge base of the connections between music education and music therapy I posed four research questions: (1) What were the goals of the music teacher and music therapist for the students in their classrooms? (2) What were the perceptions of the music teacher regarding music therapy services in an educational setting? (3) What were the perceptions of the music therapist regarding student experiences in the music classroom? (4) In what ways did the music therapist and music educator collaborate, or not, to improve outcomes for students with special needs? I found the goals of the educator and therapist in music were unique yet complementary, and clarification of these goals is needed to assist educators who work with students with special needs.