Name
Exploring Music Learning Challenges and Coping Strategies Among Undergraduate Musicians With Learning Disabilities
Date & Time
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 4:35 PM - 5:05 PM
Description
Research indicates that while adult musicians with learning disabilities may experience music learning challenges when practicing and performing—such as reading music, sight-reading, and subdividing rhythm—they also develop coping strategies to mitigate these challenges (Ganschow et al., 1997; Kent, 2014; Hosseini, 2020). The existing music education literature regarding how learning disabilities may impact the way undergraduates with learning disabilities process musical information is limited.The purpose of this qualitative research study is to address this gap by exploring the music learning challenges that undergraduate music majors with self-reported learning disabilities face and discovering the coping strategies they use to overcome these challenges. The research questions framing this study include: (1) What challenges do undergraduate music majors with self-reported learning disabilities face when practicing and performing? (2) What coping strategies do they use? and (3) What are the similarities and differences within and across cases?Data collection procedures include administering a survey to gather information about the music learning challenges these students face and the coping strategies they use, along with one-on-one interviews to provide an in-depth snapshot of how undergraduate music majors with learning disabilities navigate their musical journeys in higher education. The findings of this study may provide music educators with valuable insight into the diverse ways undergraduate students learn and offer practical tools to better support their students in a variety of teaching and learning contexts.
Location Name
512A
Full Address
Palais des Congres - Montréal Convention Centre
1001, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montreal QC H2Z 1H2
Canada
Session Type
Paper Presentation
Presenting Author(s)
Sheerin Hosseini