Examining the Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education

Overview & Synopsis

A variety of stakeholders work to ensure opportunities for students with disabilities to learn in and through the arts. Because they work in various disciplines in the fields of arts education and special education, these stakeholders lack opportunities to share resources and information. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and its arts and disability affiliate VSA, brought together leaders at the intersection of arts education and special education in the summer of 2012. These leaders established recommendations for a national agenda to address issues impacting the arts education of students with disabilities. These recommendations are encompassed within two broad proposals: (1) create a dynamic information hub/technical assistance center, and (2) establish a consortium of stakeholders across the arts education and special education communities to advance a national agenda. The Kennedy Center and others are now addressing various agenda items, which will ultimately impact access to and the quality of arts education for students with disabilities.