Musical Education – Light and Optical Stimuli Erasmus Project

Project Title

Musical Education – Light and Optical Stimuli

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

Adults with developmental disabilities face many challenges. Although some individuals are able to work and are relatively self-sufficient, others are not. There is a variety of activities that can help adults with developmental disabilities to socialize, express their feelings and stay healthier. Activities for the developmentally disabled are most successful when based on an individual’s skills, interests, physical abilities, level of socialization and therapeutic benefits.
Music is such a helpful tool for adults with developmental disabilities, as most individuals respond favorably. Music training triggers and requires contacting multiple stimuli resulting in activating specific brain regions that are important for our growth. It is therefore a multi-sensory experience that affects the mental, psycho-emotional, functional and kinetic aspects of a person’s activity. Regarding people with learning disabilities, all the aforementioned constitute the aid and development fields to improve quality of life.
More specifically, music education enhances specific cognitive and perceptual skills, such as observation, attention, concentration, memory and understanding, as well as the development of interpersonal relations and socialization.
In M.E.L.O.S. we developed and tested an innovative, needs-tailored, inclusive learning music process, based on the creation of activities among project partners and target groups, that would enable the development of a certified training course. The project consortium created a specific methodology, usable video tutors, teaching tools and demonstration activities in order to increase the skills and abilities of both the learners and teachers/trainers through a common on-line platform.
Our consortium was headed «To Ergastiri» and Dr. Ioannis Makris Phd. To Ergastiri» is a non-profit organization that aims to assist in the social integration and general wellbeing of adults with learning disabilities.
The Jaunuoliu Dienos Centras (Lithuania) is a social service institution that provides day activities for disabled youngsters with severe and moderate physical and intellectual impairment over 18 years of age. Their activities include small work tasks, drama, art, sport, IT and informal education.
Aliaga Ozel Egitim Uygulama Merkezi ve Is Uygulama Merkezi (Izmir, Turkey) is a non-profit public school that provides academic and job training to mentally challenged individuals between the ages of seven to 21, that is from primary and secondary to high school.
Cope Foundation (Ireland) is an institution in service for people with intellectual disabilities and autism.
The Arts Department of the Foundation holds responsibility for the development of the arts (music, dance, drama, film, visual arts, and arts therapies etc.), hosting local, national and international arts festivals for people with disabilities. While their activities perfectly match the scope of this Project, more importantly, the Cope Foundation holds a significant experience in running similar projects and in taking part in European partnerships.
Finally, it has been a delight to being able to cooperate with OmegaTech, a company that invests in research, web applications and development and internet solutions. OmegaTech will provide the on-line platform for the distance learning method and will implement the relevant website.
The method applied has already been successfully piloted by Dr. Ioannis Makris, PhD (music conductor/development leader in the present project) under the title ‘M.E.L.O.S’- Musical Education Light and Optical Stimuli. The piloting has been taking place in the past year in the facilities of ERGASTHRI, through which an ad hoc orchestra has been created, by trainees with intellectual disabilities. Throughout the development and piloting of the method it has been proven that in a very short period of time the trainees were able to participate energetically in an orchestra and play music as a group.
The project consortium focused on training and education needs of the target group aiming to achieve:
The simultaneous enhancement and the development of cognitive, perceptual and kinetic skills through an enjoyable, creative and interactive learning experience
Learning a musical instrument is addressed to everyone regardless of the degree of functionality and disability, so that no one is excluded from the process of learning. This implies the coexistence, rather than the separation, of people with different degrees of functionality.
An indirect approach of other skills and functions in social and psycho-emotional level, for example participation in a group, accountability, self-limitation, role commutation, coexistence, etc.
Combination of music education with pure entertainment and relaxation
Furthermore, it can be applied by a qualified therapist as part of a therapeutic process, by utilizing information obtained from the educational process that occurs in an individual and group level.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 192381 Eur

Project Coordinator

Sillogos goneon ke kidemonon atomon me anapiria TO ERGASTIRI & Country: EL

Project Partners

• Aliaga Ozel Egitim Is Uygulama Merkezi
• COPE Foundation
• Jaunuoliu dienos centras
• THEOFANIS ALEXANDRIDIS KAI SIA EE