Beyond Ableism: Creating Inclusive Music Spaces for People with Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

This study aimed to involve people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities in the research process through participatory design with proxies. The study consulted 13 participants on their musical preferences and created four instrumental listening tracks for consideration. The findings showed that elements of music such as tempo, tonality, and instrumentation influenced the participants' responses, and their musical preferences were variable and individualized. The study recommends further exploration of how people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities can contribute to inclusive research.