1. Introduction
Equality in education provides equal learning opportunities for children in the mainstream and guarantees learning opportunities as well as an environment for children with special needs. It allows for the consideration of the learning opportunities that every child needs, and gives enough attention to children with learning difficulties and other educational needs [
1]. In order to promote the early treatment and education of children with disabilities, the Ministry of Education of Taiwan stipulates that the implementation of special education should start at the age of two, and clearly stipulates that “the provision of special education and related service measures and the establishment of facilities should conform to the adaptation, individualization, and community”. “The spirit of integration and barrier-free integration” It clearly shows that the primary orientation of special education at this stage is integration toward inclusion [
2]. Currently, studies affirm the positive effect of inclusive education on children with special needs as well as children in the mainstream [
2]. For example, an inclusive environment can promote self-concept, language, perception, morality, social interaction, motor skills, and interpersonal relationships for special needs children [
3,
4].
Music is the first sensory experience for children as they interact with the world and gain sustenance to enrich the mind and soften the soul. As for emotional and musical abilities, children with special needs are as good as peers of the same age. Music can better stimulate and comfort them by interacting with their heart to express indescribable emotions and deep feelings. As a non-verbal communication tool, music can be integrated with learning to make daily learning routines and complex tasks much more accessible [
5]. Children’s emotional and social functions are significantly enhanced during musical activities in addition to immediately after the end of the course [
6].
Due to progress in the digitalization of society, the integration of information and communications technology into life has become indispensable. Through the use of projection equipment and digital products, children can effectively learn mathematics, songs, and drama; through games, they can provide meaningful learning methods [
7]. Music technology activities assisted children with disabilities in physical movement, communication, and concentration [
8,
9,
10,
11]. After years of hands-on research, many positive results have been obtained using music technology in general and more specifically for children in special education settings. Thus, the motivation of this study is to explore the influence of music technology activities on the social interactions and participation status of children in an inclusive class. Social interaction is essential to human beings due to the gregarious characteristics of human personality, and it is associated with close connections to parents and siblings from birth. Various needs are met for all children through interactions with caregivers. With the growth in age, children’s social learning expands from families to school life. Therefore, the kindergarten stage is vital for children to develop their social abilities. Social interactions and emotional development are significant for children at this stage, which can help them to interact better with others in peer groups and improve their detection, expression, and understanding of emotion as well as interpersonal relationships [
12].
There are many definitions of social interaction. Broadly speaking, children can adapt to people, things, and things [
13]. Another scholar proposed that social interaction is when two or more people come into contact with each other in an activity at the same time, showing verbal or nonverbal behavior [
14]. This study adopts Arnott’s definition of social interaction. Most preschool children generate social interaction through games [
15]. This research uses music technology courses to increase the frequency of social interactions and the number of activities children participate in during games and learning.
The structure of this research is as follows: 1. Introduction: research background and problems; 2. Literature Review: the implications and implementation of inclusive education, the link between music technology, the teaching concepts of music, and social interaction; 3. Method: This research adopted purposive sampling. Three observers observed and recorded the research participants, who were four children with special needs and four children in the mainstream, a total of eight samples, to conduct research on music technology and social interaction; 4. Research Results: divided into qualitative and quantitative analysis; 5. Conclusions; and 6. Limitation and Suggestions.
Therefore, the study intended to increase the frequency of interpersonal interaction and the number of activities involved in the learning process through music technology.
3. Methods
3.1. Introduction to Music Technology Equipment
3.1.1. Soundbeam
Soundbeam (
Figure 1) has evolved from an abstract concept to a unique light-sensing system, which can be light-sensitive on all sides and is easy to use. The ability and fluidity to traverse the broad spectrum have the particular function of making learning vigorous and interesting, so that learners can get a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment from it. Soundbeam and its surrounding technological equipment are widely used in the fields of music education, sound therapy, and music therapy for children with severe learning difficulties and multiple disabilities, and their positive effects have been confirmed.
3.1.2. Musical Pads
Musical pads (as shown in
Figure 2) are instruments with eight scales, from middle DO to treble DO, combined into a round or long strip shape. Children can step on the pads, and the corresponding scale and lighting effects will appear simultaneously.
3.2. Data Collection
The data collection duration was three months, and the research teaching was divided into two themes. Each theme included two stages and a total of seven weeks. The first stage is the adaptation period; the second stage is the stable learning period. The implementation was twice a week, with forty-minute sessions and 28 teaching sessions, lasting for 14 weeks. The researchers reviewed and recorded with the trained observers afterward to analyze children’s social interactions and participation performance through observation records. Data collection was based on semi-structured observation forms, anecdotal records, interview records, and feedback forms.
3.3. Participants
The participants of the study were from a private, inclusive kindergarten in Taichung City, Taiwan. Due to the small campus and the relatively poor resources, the head of the kindergarten actively applied to the research team for tutoring American language music courses, so this research adopted purposive sampling. The participants included four regular children (3 boys and 1 girl) and four children with high-functioning autism (4 boys), consisting of eight study samples. The basic overview of the participants’ social interaction abilities is as follows:
The children’s baseline performance of social interactions is summarized as follows:
Jing: Excellent performance in social interaction; was a class leader.
Yang: Good performance in social interaction; was able to interact with people actively.
Quan: Not too poor performance in social interaction; had emotional ups and downs occasionally.
Dong: Not too poor performance in social interaction; was rather shy.
- 2.
Children with high-functioning autism:
Heng: was able to express his opinions; needed guidance to deal with emotions and communicate with people.
Rong: needed guidance from peers and teachers on their initiative.
Zhen: needed guidance from peers and teachers on their initiative.
Yan: needed guidance from peers and teachers on their initiative.
3.4. Observer Selection
The three observers were composed of two members of the research team and a senior preschool teacher.
3.5. Observer Scoring Method
Observation data included music activity observation forms and anecdotal records. In terms of observation records, the three observers filled in the semi-structured activity observation form and conducted a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the research in terms of observation records.
Before formal teaching, based on primary information data provided by the children’s parents, the researchers need to establish a starting point of learning experience and learning ability of research participants. After the data summary, the researcher worked with the supervisor to compile the pre-test and post-test, the Social Interaction Scale, and the lesson plan for teaching American English through music. In the meantime, the researcher explained the research purposes and teaching contents to three observers. To establish the criteria, observers needed to be trained based on the main items requiring observation. For example, when the rating item is “helps peers tap the target objective following the teacher’s instruction”, the observer shall pay attention to whether the children can achieve this and evaluate the score based on the number of present children on that day. If all the children fail to do this, 1 point shall be given on the Likert 5-point scale. If one child can do this, 2 points shall be provided. If two children can do this, 3 points shall be given. If three children can do this, 4 points shall be given. If four children can do this, 5 points shall be provided. The observation and recording were mainly carried out by reviewing the teaching video clips, and observers gave scores in line with the performance of the activity. If the movement of children was not apparent or the volume of voice was too low in the video, the scores of observers may easily be too deviated. When the score given by the observer was not less than 2 points, they re-discuss the results and reviewed the video clip to provide a new score. Moreover, the researcher also provides the data recorded in the anecdotes of the study to discuss with observers.
3.6. Analysis
- (1)
Qualitative: triangulation.
- (2)
Quantitative: there were only eight children in the inclusive class, so the nonparametric analysis method was used to evaluate the differences in social interactions among pre-test, mind-test, and post-test.
3.7. The Content of the Music Technology Curriculum
The researcher designed the curriculum with some adjustments according to participants’ physical and mental development. The activities included the Hello Song, Attendance Song, singing and chanting, musical movement, musical storytelling, and Goodbye Song, all carried out in American English.
3.8. Reliability
Kendall’s concordance consistency test was conducted to test the reliability of the observers’ consistency.
3.9. Social Validity
After 28 times of teaching within 14 weeks, the researcher withdrew from the research situation, leaving eight parents, one kindergarten teacher, and three observers to fill the music activity feedback form as the social validity data.
4. Results
This study discussed the participants’ performance and process of social interactions after implementing the music technology activities. The contents for data analysis included observation records, anecdote records, teacher interviews, music activity feedback forms, etc. For children with special needs, their process of active participation in music technology activities and interaction with peers in the mainstream were reflected by the quantitative scores in observation records to show how children interacted and learned in each theme. Two themes were implemented, namely star and color, in the study. The researcher separated each theme into two stages and supplemented it with text description results for support and comparison. The social validity was based on statistical results of the music activity feedback form, which helped to show how the study can affect the participants’ social interaction development.
Regarding the consistency of the observers, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, data in the statistics without maternal numbers can prove that the evaluations of the three observers on subject one and subject two are highly consistent, and the measurement data have high reliability as shown in
Table 1.
Relying on the Social Interaction Scale, this research tested participants’ social interactions and participation performance in theme one. As shown in
Figure 3, after seven weeks of teaching, participants’ social interactions and participation performance increased from 1 to 4.85. According to the score, music technology activities can enhance learning ability through peer assistance.
As shown in
Figure 4, the score of the participants in theme one showed gradual progress, from 1.8 in the first week to the peak value of 4.38 in the seventh week. The overall curve showed positive growth.
According to observation records from theme one, the process of social interactions and participation can be divided into two stages for data analysis:
4.1. From the First to the Third Week
As the course was entirely new for the participants who had never been previously taught using the program techniques, they felt unfamiliar at the beginning of the activity. The instructor used the technological equipment to gradually adapt the participants to the new teaching method in a fun way. During the first week and the second week, static observation and imitation of body movements of the teacher were the mainstays. This stage is in the adaptation period.
4.2. From the Fourth to the Seventh Week
After three weeks of learning, children in the mainstream were adapted to the new teaching mode. During the activity, children in the mainstream can actively respond to questions raised by the teacher. Moreover, they can assist the learning of children with special needs by repetition and demonstration. They can read out target words and sing the songs together with children with special needs. Additionally, they can jointly select target words based on the technological equipment and engage in cooperative games. The average score increases from 3.12 in the fourth week to 4.6 in the eighth week, suggesting that children with special needs can improve their learning abilities with peer assistance.
As illustrated in
Figure 5, after seven weeks of course instruction, children’s social interactions and participation performance in an inclusive class was increased from 1 point to 5 points. The scores showed that the addition of music in American English could improve children’s social interactions and participation activity in an inclusive class.
As indicated in
Figure 6, in theme two, the score of research participants gradually increased from 3.5 points of the first week to 5 points of the seventh week, with positive growth. The upward curve shows gradual progress.
4.3. From the Eighth to the Tenth Week
The eighth week started with the beginning of a new theme. After finishing the previous theme’s learning, the participants took the initiative to discuss and share their experiences to assist others. Moreover, they actively interacted with each other in the participation of activities. They also observed the combination of instrument lighting and sounds. After experiencing the previous topic, children faced unfamiliar curriculum content. Although they could not respond to the teacher in English, they would try to respond in Chinese to improve the interaction with the teacher. Compared with topic one, when they faced the unfamiliar, the social interaction between the course and the instructor is higher than the pre-test of topic one.
4.4. From the Eleventh to the Fourteenth Week
Up till the eleventh week, the participants could complete the task given with teacher cooperation more easily. Thus, children’s learning abilities of social interactions and activity participation in theme two were improved.
After the 28 teaching sessions of the above two themes for 14 weeks,
Figure 1,
Figure 2,
Figure 3 and
Figure 4 showed that the participants positively developed learning abilities of social interactions and activity participation. In theme two, the speed of adaptability and adjustment accelerated, and the participants also got to know how to assist and remind each other. They would offer help and compensate in time when other peers did not know how to do things. The previous week’s scores improved gradually in both themes, which proved that music technology activities could improve children’s learning abilities in social interactions and activity participation. Because of the small sampling, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, no maternal number, was used in the statistic.
Table 2 showed that the pre-test was taken in the first week of topic one and the eighth week of topic two. The mid-test was in the fourth week of topic one and the eleventh week of topic two. The post-test was in the seventh week of topic one and the fourteenth week of topic two. The test results are shown in the following table. Whether it is theme one or theme two, mid-test and post-test have significant differences to pre-test, and post-test to mid-test also have substantial differences, which means that this course allows the tests to increase the effect of social interactions in the course effectively.
5. Conclusions and Discussions
This study mainly explored empirical research on how music technology activities enhanced children’s social interactions in an inclusive class. The performance of children’s social interactions and participation in activities and learning in the inclusive class can be found in the observation forms. The integration of a new curriculum and technological equipment can deepen children’s concentration and memory in learning. When the sound effects of the equipment were different from the lighting, children would take the initiative to tell their peers and help each other distinguish differences. This result is consistent with previous research [
6]. After learning music technology activities, children could actively seek friendship in interpersonal interactions and help their peers. At the same time, through the sound and light effects of scientific and technological instruments, children’s participation in social interactions also significantly improved. This supports Lee and Ho’s research results [
9,
10]. Classroom teachers also provided feedback that when children with autism face new teaching models, their acceptance of learning is different, due to their stereotypical behaviors. When the latest music technology was brought into the activity, they needed time to adapt. After their peers’ guidance, they would share the activity process in the classroom. When they found their responses were wrong, such as the sound was different from the lighting, they would again modify and adapt to find the correct answer. When the correct answer appeared, they would feel delighted—children discussed their own learning experiences and way of operating technological equipment. Based on the above, the conclusions of the study were as follows:
Participation in musical activities, supplemented by the integration of technological musical instruments into games, improved social interactions. Children became more willing to share their learning experiences and operate technological equipment, and the interactions among children became more enthusiastic and frequent. Therefore, music technology activities can effectively improve participants’ social interaction behaviors, such as good communication, cooperation, and course participation.