Teaching Music to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Date
September 14-December 4, 2026
Online
Asynchronous
Course Number
MECA: 8176C | MMEd: 577 *
Credits
MECA: 3 | MMEd: 2 *
Tuition
$1,224
Course Description
This course will center on the book Teaching Music to Students with Autism (second edition) by Alice Hammel and Ryan Hourigan. We will examine the book as we study the ways cognition, communication, and socialization are all present within our classrooms as well as ways to make our process of music teaching and learning more applicable to students who learn differently. Students will engage in discussion boards and choose projects of interest to them as they work through the class.
*This course is available at two levels:
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MMEd Program Students: If you’re enrolled in the MMEd program at VanderCook, register for the 500-level course in the student portal.
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MECA Continuing Education Students: If you’re not in the MMEd program but wish to earn graduate credit, register for the 7000/8000-level course.
The difference in credits earned and tuition costs reflects the varying tuition rates between the MMEd and MECA Continuing Education programs. If you’re unsure which section is right for you, feel free to reach out to [email protected] for assistance.
Instructor
Grammy Award Nominated educator, Dr. Alice Hammel, was the 2023 NAfME Lowell Mason Fellow, VMEA Outstanding Educator (2018), and is the current Past-President of VMEA. She is a widely known music educator, author, and clinician whose experience in music is extraordinarily diverse. She is a Disabilities Specialist, and has many years of experience teaching instrumental and choral music in public and private schools. Dr. Hammel has put these varied experiences to great use while compiling a large body of scholarly work. She is a co-author for many texts: Q&A for Teaching Band to Students with Differences and Disabilities, Teaching Music to Students with Differences and Disabilities (A Label-free Approach and A Practical Resource), Teaching Music to Students with Autism, Winding It Back, andUniversal Design for Learning in Music Education. Dr. Hammel is Past-President of the Council for Exceptional Children – Division for Visual and Performing Arts Education and was awarded their Past President Award for Excellence. Dr. Hammel has served NAfME as a member of the National Executive Board, The Equity Committee, and The Music Teacher Professional Initiative.