For the SLUGGER program it is the power of music through melodic movement and singing. Music is powerful, provides numerous health and wellness benefits, is far reaching and accessible. For people with disabilities, music can offer a form of personalized therapy. For someone with a disability, music can play an important role within their daily life and help create ways to sing and pray to God.









Countless studies have recorded the benefits of music.
Music helps improve behaviors and emotions and has
shown to be an effective treatment for neurological
ailments, including brain injuries, seizures, epilepsy, and
Alzheimer’s. All of these aspects are part of our mission at
SLSA, to reach the whole student. For a person with a
disability, potential benefits may include the following:

• Stimulates learning: Repetition and memorization are improved with the rhythm of music aiding in the ability to recall
• Helps to focus a person’s attention and allows attention to be directed more effectively
• Calms anxieties and relaxes an individual when stressed or over-stimulated
• Energizes and motivates an individual to continue or pursue additional efforts
• Aids in communication by stimulating and encouraging a person’s speech as well as creating a path for nonverbal forms of communication
• Improves a person’s physical skills
• Assists with pain management and discomfort
• Equalizes people socially and offers people with disabilities the opportunity to interact and participate with those who do not have the same challenges
• Allows people to express and experience a variety of emotions and may help control emotional outbursts
• Provides a general sense of satisfaction and strengthens self-esteem