Conference Agenda

The Online Program of events for the 2025 AMS-SMT Joint Annual Meeting appears below. This program is subject to change. The final program will be published in early November.

Use the "Filter by Track or Type of Session" or "Filter by Session Topic" dropdown to limit results by type. Some of the sessions are also color coded: purple indicates performances, grey indicates paper forums, and orange indicates sessions which will be either remote, hybrid, or available online via the AMS Select Pass.

Use the search bar to search by name or title of paper/session. Note that this search bar does not search by keyword.

Click on the session name for a detailed view (with participant names and abstracts).

 
 
Session Overview
Session
Braille and Beyond: Making Music Theory Accessible through Inclusive Design
Time:
Friday, 07/Nov/2025:
10:45am - 12:15pm

Session Chair: Toby Rush, University of Dayton
Session Chair: Dave Easley
 Location: Greenway Ballroom E-F
Session Topics:
SMT

Session Abstract

How can we make our music theory classrooms more accessible, engaging, and welcoming for students with visual impairments? This workshop introduces the fundamentals of braille music notation and shows how small, intentional changes can make classrooms supportive and challenging for all learners, rather than leaving non-sighted students to devise their own accommodations. Participants will learn the basics of how braille music works, explore teaching strategies that support non-sighted learners, and consider how principles of universal design can benefit all students, not just those with disabilities. Through hands-on activities, attendees will create a short braille score of their own, gaining practical insight into how students experience music in braille. By the end of the session, participants will leave with both a clearer understanding of braille music notation and concrete strategies to foster a more inclusive and inspiring learning environment for every student.

Sponsored by the SMT Committee on Disability & Accessibility