"The most impressive and enjoyable part of this course can be found within the Video Clips that are interjected at strategic moments. These clips clearly illustrate the successful use of music in social interaction for children with special needs. It is here that real musical interactions are wonderfully captured on film, between Ryan and a variety of children who are challenged with difficulties in social interaction. By studying this course, I learned the importance of active listening in Music Therapy. Many examples are given, that show Ryan pausing for quite a long while, as he waits for the children to respond to his prompts for interaction through music. I am now completely convinced that children need lots of uninterrupted time to respond to prompts. Ryan also illustrates how to facilitate a child’s authentic response in order to lead them to a very real sense of empowerment and pleasure. Ryan’s song choices emphasize simplicity and clarity. I learned them easily. He shows how the words can be adapted to meet each child’s needs, and he carefully describes how to adjust the pace and tempo to connect with each child within their communication challenges. I highly recommend this course for people who live and work with children with special needs."

- Ruth T.