Victoria SEN School & Soundstorm Music Hub
Teenagers
1:1 and small group sessions
Music creation / assistive technology
Various learning and physical difficulties, including students with limited mobility and visual impairments
The practitioner is a Music Inclusion Specialist working across a SEN school and a music hub, supporting children and adults with a wide range of learning and physical difficulties. Sessions include 1:1 intensive work, class-based lessons, and performances, often using assistive technology alongside musical instruments.
“A student with Muscular Dystrophy… was able to choose, load, and then play his own sounds and songs 100% independently. This was a very memorable moment… as he could no longer access a piano which was upsetting for him.”
How do you use Cosmo at your organisation?
Cosmo is used as part of music sessions alongside existing assistive technology setups. It is integrated into both individual and group sessions, including creative music-making, performances, and exploratory activities.
The focus is on enabling students to independently create, control, and interact with music in a way that is accessible and engaging.
What was the idea behind using Cosmo?
The team was already using a loop station (Boss 505) with GarageBand/Logic and MIDI keyboards. Introducing Cosmo was a natural progression—using Cosmo switches as a MIDI controller within this existing setup.
What was the aim of the activity?
The aim was to:
- Enable independent music creation
- Provide creative freedom through accessible tools
- Allow students to explore sounds, loops, and instruments
- Combine music-making with fun, engaging interaction
How was Cosmo used?
Cosmo was used as a MIDI controller:
The COSMO app is opened and set to MIDI mode
- GarageBand is used for instrument selection
- Students assign sounds, loops, or notes to different switches
- Each switch controls a different musical element (e.g. drums, bass, effects)
Students could:
- Trigger loops and sounds
- Build layered compositions
- Manipulate music in real time
The setup was intentionally kept simple so students could operate it independently.
How did learners respond?
Students responded with strong excitement and engagement:
“Wide eyed and smiling, they are generally blown away with how much fun it is.”
The activity also enabled multiple students to engage together, creating a collaborative music experience.
They particularly enjoyed:
- Creating and manipulating their own beats and loops
- Choose from a wide range of sounds, loops, and genres
- Explore music independently with creative freedom
- Participating in group “band-style” sessions
The experience combined music creation and DJ-style interaction, making sessions highly engaging and enjoyable.
What impact did Cosmo have on accessibility?
Cosmo significantly improved accessibility:
- Colour-coded LEDs helped students identify sounds easily (e.g. blue = drums, red = bass)
- Highly sensitive switches allowed physically challenged students to participate independently
- Bright lights improved visibility for visually impaired students, especially in low-light environments
This made music creation more inclusive and intuitive.
What worked best?
- Keeping the setup simple and intuitive
- Using colour associations for different sounds
- Allowing creative experimentation
- Creating a fun, playful environment
What advice would you give others?
- Spend time understanding the loop station and effects
- Assign different behaviours to each switch
- Adjust loop timing (bars) for flexibility
- Focus on making sessions fun and playful
“The more fun and laughter involved, the more students want to get involved.”
Cosmo can also be used creatively for:
- Storytelling (each switch as a character or sound)
- Sound-based narratives
- Group interaction