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  Voices Together in Education

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Voices Together in Education

Last December we opened our first Voices Together In Education pilot program in the Durham Public Schools.

The program was formed in partnership with The Durham District Schools, VSA Arts (an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts) and UNC Department of Music Education and Special Education.  (UNC has taken on this program for evaluation purposes.)  The students with special needs were transported by bus from their schools across the Durham district to The Durham Arts Council for weekly Voices Together sessions.

We had a wonderful response, receiving testimonials from teachers, administrators and parents alike who mentioned observing an increase in areas of self-determination, self-expression, communication, speech and social interaction. The teachers also have commented on the benefits of not only the program but that their students had access to the community and The Durham Arts Council.

 The evaluation data has shown positive results in the areas of articulation, expressive and receptive language and social interaction.

As we expand in the 2008/2009 school year to include more high schools and this year include middle schools in the Durham District and in the Orange county schools, we will be integrating the program into many of the schools themselves and developing inclusive programming with special educators and school choral directors.