Music Braille: Fostering Student Access and Success

Authors: Alma Lerma, Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI), Frisco ISD

I am currently a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI) working in a large school district. Thinking back more than a decade ago, I remember, as a new TSVI, wondering how will my student, Maddie, learn to read music, play an instrument, and possibly one day create her own musical compositions. My initial thoughts: What is the braille code for music? Do I need to learn this code myself? How does a TSVI approach teaching skills that they themselves have not ever learned or experienced? 

Maddie often expressed her love of singing and how much she enjoyed her music class. I knew that learning to play the recorder was coming up soon in the district’s 5th grade music curriculum. I thought back to how much I enjoyed music class at her age and did not want her to miss out. So, I began to look for answers to my questions about how to teach her the braille code for music.

After speaking with colleagues from around the state, I made a connection with a TSVI in another school district who explained how a blind student could learn to play a musical instrument. The local education agency recommended a curriculum, An Introduction to Music for the Blind Student, by Richard Taesch. Now I had just what I needed to get started!

In my first lessons with Maddie, I used tactile graphics to show her how the treble clef, musical staff, and musical notation appear spatially in print. Next, we began the process of learning how to read a line of the music that would be used with other students in the music class. During this time, I produced the music braille using six-key entry and Duxbury software on my laptop. Even though I knew how to read music, it was a tedious process.   

As I prepared for the next school year, it was evident that additional time and focus would be required for my student to have more direct instruction with reading and even composing music braille. I applied for a grant through my educational service center and also reached out to All Blind Children of Texas, a wonderful nonprofit organization, for additional funds. These funds helped me provide instruction in several areas of the ECC during one week of summer break.  

In these summer sessions with Maddie, I used lessons from An Introduction to Music for the Blind Student, beginning with Phase One: the Rudiments of Music. This curriculum provided strategies in the Things to Do beginning section of each lesson. They included precise descriptions and directions for singing and playing music using numbers, solfege, and notes. Additional materials required for these sessions included a borrowed piano keyboard, a Perkins braille writer, and braille paper. The sessions were lengthy, so I included time for a quick snack and chat break. The week ended with a trip to a local music store where Maddie explored instruments she’d never touched before. The week was a success, and we both learned a lot.

Maddie continued with music in middle school by joining the choir and participating in the district’s UIL competitions. Through collaboration with the choir director, the school district’s Director of Fine Arts, and the district braille transcriptionist, we ensured that she received accurate and timely music braille scores for instruction and competition. I regularly previewed the embossed scores with her as the music increased in complexity. 

As a TSVI looking for accessible music braille technology, I attended a session with Bill McCann from Dancing Dots. The session provided me with knowledge about specific technology that a student/performer who is blind might use. This included accessible music notation software. In addition, we discovered the need for our district’s braillist to be trained in using the music notation software. Producing scores with correct formatting was required for choir instruction and district UIL competitions.   

In high school, Maddie’s passion for music grew. She began composing her own pieces using Lime LIghter, an accessible music notation software from Dancing Dots. This technology allowed her to take an advanced Music Theory course and successfully complete the AP Music Theory exam. Through remote training with Bill McCann of Dancing Dots, Maddie gained the skills to independently use the software, achieving her goal of mastering complex musical concepts.

Today, Maddie is a first-year student at the University of North Texas, pursuing a degree in Music Education with a concentration in voice. She’s a member of the Texas All-State Treble Choir as well as the North Texas Music Educators Association (NTMEA) and the North Texas Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). She is also a student member of TMEA, the Texas Choral Directors Association (TCDA), and the national ACDA. She aspires to earn a Ph.D. in Music Education and serve as a strong advocate for equitable access to music education for all students.  

There’s a tune that I sometimes sing to young students: 

What do I do when there’s something new? 

What do I do when there’s something new?

I can hear it, touch it, 

I can find out more about what is new. 

It is not just our students that are learning new things. Educators in our field are often required to tackle situations that expand our knowledge and show us new teaching strategies in order to allow for full inclusion of our students. When presented with a challenging new teaching situation, it is important to remember that we are given a privilege. We have a unique opportunity to be an advocate, a supporter, and dedicated teacher to our students. What would you do when presented with something new? Gain information, look for resources, and remember that you are not alone.

Maddie and her TSVI, Mrs. Lerma, are dressed to impress at Maddie’s senior recital.

Maddie seated at a piano keyboard and reading Music Braille

Maddie uses her laptop, refreshable Braille display and keyboard during a lesson.