The centrality of singing in aural skills curricula as a primary learning tool and an assessment medium with a high demand for accuracy makes aural skills a uniquely and intersectionally fraught experience for transgender and genderqueer (TGQ) students. The reasons are both mechanical—hormone therapy wreaks havoc on vocal function and accuracy (Mills and Pert 2023)—and psychological, as the voice is a major locus of gender dysphoria among TGQ people generally, which is intensified by cultural norms surrounding classical singing (Purdy 2023). The potentially disabling effects of singing and vocality, and their intersections with identity and well-being, compound the vulnerability that aural skills courses already ask even of cisgender students with physiologically stable voices. Further work is needed at the intersection of voice, musical vocalism, and sociocultural belonging in order to teach our TGQ aural skills students more equitably.

Our qualitative study, following a “what is” rather than a “what works” design (Hutchings 2000), draws upon student surveys—expanding upon validated measures of belonging (e.g., Felten and Lambert 2020)—as well as semi-structured interviews to illuminate the lived experiences of TGQ students in aural skills courses. How do vocal mechanics, gender identity, and assessment through singing intertwine in their experience of aural skills instruction? In which specific ways can singing (and even speaking) be disabling to TGQ students as learning activities and especially as assessment methods? What challenges do TGQ students identify, and which aspects of course and lesson design can lessen or exacerbate those challenges? Do they experience vocal gender dysphoria differently or more intensely than the research predicts among collegiate transgender people in general? What are the dimensions of TGQ belonging in the aural skills classroom?

By interlacing our findings with current research on TGQ vocal pedagogy (Caya et al 2021, Hearns et al 2018) and TGQ-affirming music education in general (Romano 2018), we will provide attendees with actionable insight on TGQ student experiences in aural skills as well as guidelines and strategies for pedagogues regarding equitable, inclusive teaching practices that actively promote both vocal accessibility and belonging.

Student disability accommodations are a part of daily life for music theory instructors. Of these, the three most common are quiet rooms, extra time, and allowances for make-ups. Importantly, each focuses on the same aspect of pedagogy: assessment. This is a potent reminder that the high-stakes, norms-referenced assessments traditionally used in music theory are—by the very fact of eliciting accommodations—disabling for a significant population of students. This need not be so.

Music theory pedagogues have begun to move toward alternatives, drawing instead on competency-based grading [CBG] (Williamson 2013) and standards-based grading [SBG](Gawboy 2013, Duker et al. 2015, Flinn 2015, and England 2023). However, as these efforts focus overwhelmingly on a general—and thus abled-by-assumption—student population, they continue to carry vestiges of traditional assessment that require accommodations. No system of assessment has yet been proposed that works as intended for everyone.

In this paper I propose a step towards universal design in assessment. I use specifications grading [SG] (Nilson 2015) as a framework to defuse the need for each of the three common accommodations listed above. Though it shares some similarities with SBG and CBG, SG goes further by focusing on mastery (Larson 2023). Through two case studies—my classes Introduction to Music Theory and Music Theory: Classical I—I illustrate how mastery helps level the playing field. I begin at the granular level with how to use pass/fail rubrics and manage work resubmission, move to the mid level where I consider how to handle students' asymmetrical progress, and end broadly by demonstrating how students choose to complete assignment tiers that give rise to their final grades. By viewing mastery as the achievement of competency before moving to the next topic, this system serves each students individually, thus taking an important step toward universal assessment design.

Recent advancements in music theory curriculum and online open-source resources have created opportunities for more inclusive learning environments. This presentation will demonstrate how universal design principles were integrated into undergraduate curricular updates in music theory at NYU Steinhardt, focusing on accessibility for visually impaired students. The talk aims to provide practical considerations for curricular updates and share resources attendees can use or adapt.

NYU Steinhardt redesigned its undergraduate music theory curriculum, creating new syllabi, online course texts, and music theory and aural skills anthologies for 16 new courses. These resources are open-source, freely accessible, and set up as Google sites that can be copied and adapted. While updates emphasized diverse musical styles and voices, the course design focused on universal design and accessibility.

Updates included replacing traditional exams with projects and encouraging the use of laptops or tablets, headphones, MIDI keyboards, notation programs, and other DAWs. Course texts link to repertoire in the anthologies, available in multiple formats—images, PDFs, MuseScore files, and audio excerpts—allowing students to engage with the music in various ways. MuseScore’s accessibility features, such as screen reader compatibility, keyboard shortcuts, MIDI input, live Braille conversion and exporting, and the ability to notate using a Braille panel, make it a powerful and versatile tool for low-vision and blind students. Integrating MIDI keyboards with MuseScore offers alternatives to written staff notation and provides real-time playback, reinforcing music theory concepts. Courses also introduce students to DAWs and online tools for audio manipulation, aiding transcription and analysis.

Additional practice in Musition and Auralia software, adapted for the curriculum, was included. The software includes screen reader compatibility, rhythm entry shortcuts, and the capability to link to MuseScore and audio files, enhancing accessibility. Collaboration with developers aims to further improve these tools, including Braille support and MIDI input.

This talk will provide strategies for integrating these ideas into new courses and resources, discuss collaboration with the campus accessibility center, and share adaptable resources that attendees can take with them.