This article explores trends in research since the 1975 passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), notes gaps in the literature, and offers suggestions for future directions music education researchers could take in exploring the needs and experiences of music teachers and their students with disabilities. A majority of existing literature examines teacher perceptions and attitudes toward students with special needs and preservice music teacher preparation. As the number of students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act continues to grow, and policy changes create more complex expectations of teachers, music education researchers need to continue to study these topics and broaden research to include outside perspectives, assessment and evaluation, and more research on classroom practices and voices of students with disabilities in order to better serve music teachers and their students.
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