Extending Inclusion Beyond the Classroom: Community Music Making with Adults with Disabilities

Traditionally, inclusive music education has centered on PK–12 school contexts, where legislative mandates and pedagogical frameworks guide access and participation. Educational structures have given far less attention to how inclusion extends into adulthood for individuals with disabilities. This article argues that community music making offers a critical pathway for sustaining inclusive practice beyond formal schooling. Drawing on scholarship in inclusive music education and community-based contexts, it reframes success as participation, agency, and shared musical experience rather than remediation or technical uniformity. By examining the limitations of school-centered models and highlighting the potential of flexible, collaborative programming, this article provides practical strategies for general music educators to design community-oriented environments that support lifelong music participation and equitable access.