CEREBRAL PALSY CHILDREN’S INCLUSION IN MUSIC EDUCATION: INSIGHTS FROM INTERVIEWS

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Published May 8, 2026
DOI https://doi.org/10.36367/ntqr.22.2.2026.e1182

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Davys Enrique Espíndola Moreno
Digital Content Laboratory, Research Centre in Didactics and Technology in the Training of Trainers, Department of Education and Psychology- Digital Media and Interaction Research Centre Department of Communication and Art University of Aveiro, Portugal
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3805-6929

António
Digital Content Laboratory, Research Centre in Didactics and Technology in the Training of Trainers, Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Portugal
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0040-2811

Oksana Tymoshchuk
Digital Media and Interaction Research Centre, Department of Communication and Art, University of Aveiro, Portugal
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8054-8014

Carlos
Artistic School of the Conservatory of Music Calouste Gulbenkian of Aveiro, Portugal
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1026-7457

Abstract

With the aim of promoting the participation and success of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) in Music Education in Portugal. A qualitative study was conducted in collaboration with the Cerebral Palsy Association and a Centre for Technological and Communication Resources. The study analysed the challenges and opportunities involved in the processes of including children with CP in the Music Education offered by Artistic Schools in that country. The project team conducted in-depth interviews with a total of 14 parents of children with CP and 14 music professionals who have direct experience working with children with Special Educational Needs in different educational settings. The findings point to persistent barriers to meaningful musical participation, including limited teacher preparation, restricted access to accessible instruments and assistive technologies, shortages of human resources, and weak interdisciplinary coordination. Although Portugal has an established legislative framework for inclusive education, the data reveal a clear gap between policy and everyday practice. Parents highlighted the need for support staff and adapted resources, while music professionals reported limited methodological knowledge but described creative strategies to enable participation. Both groups converged on four priorities: strengthened teacher training, improved access to accessible musical instruments and technologies, more effective coordination between education and health services, and public policies that better translate rights into practical conditions. The coding and validation of the information gathered from the 28 interviews conducted, using webQDA, facilitated the content analysis. Through this analysis, we identified successful strategies, such as tailoring activities to individual students, fostering creativity, and applying principles of human-centred design to assistive technologies. Overall, the study underscores the value of student-centred pedagogical approaches that prioritize meaningful participation and engagement over conventional performance outcomes and technical mastery and offers important directions and practical recommendations for advancing inclusive music education practices for children with CP in Portugal and beyond.

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Issue
Vol. 22 No. 2 (2026): New Trends in Qualitative Research
Section
Empirical Studies with Methodological Reflection

How to Cite

Moreno, D. E. E., Moreira, A. A. de F. G., Tymoshchuk, O., & Marques, C. P. (2026). CEREBRAL PALSY CHILDREN’S INCLUSION IN MUSIC EDUCATION: INSIGHTS FROM INTERVIEWS. New Trends in Qualitative Research, 22(2), e1182. https://doi.org/10.36367/ntqr.22.2.2026.e1182
Copyright
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

openAccess

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