The Virtual Music Teacher: Children of all abilities banding together in early childhood music education

与正常发育的同龄人相比，残疾儿童参加音乐学习的可能性较小。学习演奏乐器对残疾儿童和非残疾儿童都有积极的社会和健康益处，尤其是在学龄前阶段。由于日程安排、资源和可获得性障碍，许多年幼的残疾儿童无法从音乐课中受益。一位能够让残疾儿童在家进行早期音乐学习的虚拟音乐教师可能会克服其中的一些障碍。我们将开发一个音乐应用程序(AI-MiRMA)，它智能地响应孩子们玩现实生活中的乐器(例如马拉卡斯)，并指导他们学习音乐。AI-MiRMA将与荷兰布鲁维尤儿童康复医院的客户、家庭、治疗师、音乐治疗师、工程师、游戏开发商和研究人员以及多伦多大学和亨伯学院的音乐教育工作者共同创建。将创建新的方法来跟踪儿童的音乐表演，鼓励学习和小组游戏，并使音乐任务适应不同的身体能力。我们将与15名脑瘫儿童(3-6岁)及其家人一起测试AI-MiRMA，以了解：(I)在家中使用AI-MiRMA的幼儿能否达到最小剂量的音乐制作训练 (Ii)是否有助于实现家庭主导的音乐学习和参与目标，以及(Iii)家庭对使用人工智能支持幼儿音乐学习的风险和机会有何看法。AIMiRMA将把音乐学习和它的好处带给成千上万的孩子 无论有没有残疾。共享AI-MiRMA将首先在荷兰Bloorview举行，然后 通过我们的合作组织，安大略省儿童康复协会 服务、Humber、多伦多交响乐团和TVOKids。

Children with disabilities are less likely to take part in music learning than their typically developing peers. Learning to play a musical instrument can have positive social and health benefits for children with and without disabilities, especially in the preschool years. Many young children with disabilities are unable to benefit from music lessons because of scheduling, resource, and accessibility barriers. A virtual music teacher that can engage young children with disabilities in early music learning at home may overcome some of these barriers. We will develop a music application (AI-MiRMA) that intelligently responds to childrens play with real-life musical instruments (e.g. maracas) and guides them in music learning. AI-MiRMA will be co-created with the community of clients, families, therapists, music therapists, engineers, games developers, and researchers at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and music educators at the University of Toronto and Humber College. New ways to track a childs music play, encourage learning and group play, and adapt musical tasks to diverse physical abilities will be created. We will test AI-MiRMA with 15 children with Cerebral Palsy (aged 3-6 years) and their families to understand: (i) if young children using AI-MiRMA at home can achieve the minimum dose of music-making training expected to impact outcomes (i.e. 6 hours over 10 weeks), (ii) if it contributes to family-led goals in music learning and participation, and (iii) what families think about the risks and opportunities of using artificial intelligence to support young childrens music learning. AIMiRMA will put music learning and its benefits within reach of thousands of young children with and without disabilities. Sharing AI-MiRMA will happen first at Holland Bloorview, then through our partnering organizations, the Ontario Association of Childrens Rehabilitation Services, Humber, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and TVOKids.