Accessible
Music Certification
Objectives
Accessible
Music Certification establishes certification criteria and standards of
practice for the support and advancement of individuals with disabilities within
the field of music. This includes music
performance, composition, engineering, technology, production and education.
Disability Defined
A
disability is defined herein as an impairment of function to mind or body that
impairs an individual’s performance.
Scope
The
individuals and institutions that may qualify for certification are the
following:
1)
performing musicians
2)
composers
3)
recording
engineers
4)
producers
5)
promoters
6)
music program
authors
7)
production
facilities
8)
private music
schools
9)
public/private
academic institutions that offer a music program(s) that advance people with
disabilities
10) public/private academic institutions that offer disability
related courses or curriculum to music educators
11) centers for the performing arts
12) individuals or institutions that provide innovation
or technology for the disabled
13) individuals or institutions that advance awareness
14) individual or institution benefactors
15) any other individual or institution that advance or
improves the quality of life in music for the disabled
Types of Certification
Individual
Individual
certification is available to people with a disability as defined above or any other
professional in the field of music that is active full or part-time. The applicant is not subject to any measure
of proficiency or aptitude in music but must advance opportunities for the
disabled. For the disabled musician,
there are no requirements and no application fee. Individuals that are unimpaired seeking
certification must meet one of the following:
1)
Perform or co-author
works by/with a disabled musician
2)
Promote
awareness
3)
Provide a
service or assistance to a disabled musician
4)
Other action
that enables, advances or improves the life of a disable musician
Institutional
Institutions
seeking certification, must meet one or more of the following criteria:
1)
Employ a person
with a disabilities either full or part time in a capacity relating to the
field of music
2)
Offer a certified
music program(s) to people with disabilities
3)
Offer certified continuing
education or training to music educators relevant to the music education of
people with disabilities
4)
Employ Accessible
Music Certified instructors
5)
Financially
support/sponsor disabled musicians
6)
Create music products,
technology or services that support, enable or assist musicians with
disabilities
7)
Financially
support individuals or other institutions that advance the disabled in music
8)
Promote public awareness
Educator
Instructors
and education professionals seeking certification must meet the following
criteria:
1)
Must provide
music instruction to a disabled person(s) full or part time
2)
Must successfully
complete a certified training course or have equivalent work experience
3)
Must comply with
any required continuing education/work experience to maintain certification
Program
Qualifying
music programs must meet the following criteria:
1)
Must be a
disability centric program or a program that encourages handicapped participation
2)
Must demonstrate
positive results
3)
Must be outcome
based (not music therapy)
Course
Training,
continuing education courses or curriculums seeking certification must meet the
following criteria:
1)
Must relate to
the music education of people with disabilities
2)
Subject to
Certification Council review
Application
All
applicants must complete the certification application and return the
Fingersteps, Inc. with the proper application fee. Any misrepresentation, omission or fraudulent
claims will disqualify the applicant.
Applications that clearly demonstrate compliance to the relevant
criteria will be certified by Fingersteps, Inc., the administrative
organization. Applications that require
interpretation or are considered ‘special situations’ are subject to review by
the Certification Council.
Renewal
All
applicants are subject to periodic review.
Certification reviews are conducted upon renewal of the certification. Certification terms are determined by the
Certification Council and may vary between applicants.
Revocation
A
certification may be revoked at any time for any of the reasons stated below:
1)
Failing to
conform to certification requirements
2)
Fraudulent
activity or misrepresentation of information
3)
Engaging in
behavior that is deemed detrimental to the integrity of the certification
4)
Non conformity
to criteria due to changes made by the Certification Council
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