Background:  Technology is taken for granted by many individuals in the current day and age, but it can make a real difference in life quality for some persons with special needs.  A 1991 training manual released from IBM quotes, “For people without disabilities, technology makes things easier.  For people with disabilities, technologymakes things possible."  Children with autism can especially relate to working with computers since the frame of reference is visual, non-social, and non-threatening.  

Neuro music techniques are definable, research-based, and can produce data which can be translated to numbers.  Therefore, a natural step in using the techniques with special needs children is to automate specific definable techniques into computer software.  

With assistance from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Department of Computer Science, software has been designed and is in beta format to automate the neuro music cognition protocols of Auditory Perception and Attention Control.

Software:  The software is web-based and runs on a .NET platform using Java technology and a SQL database format.  Prior to development, agencies who support special needs children were asked for their input for what functionality they'd like to see in the software.

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Status:  The software is in beta form and is expected to be completed in spring 2009.  Once complete, the software will be disseminated to the therapeutic and educational community for their client/student use.