  LoopBoxes is an accessible digital musical instrument designed to create an
intuitive access to loop based music making for children with special
educational needs (SEN). This paper describes the evaluation of the instrument
in the form of a pilot study during a music festival in Berlin, Germany, as
well as a case study with children and music teachers in a SEN school setting.
We created a modular system composed of three modules that afford single user
as well as collaborative music making. The pilot study was evaluated using
informal observation and questionnaires (n = 39), and indicated that the
instrument affords music making for people with and without prior musical
knowledge across all age groups and fosters collaborative musical processes.
The case study was based on observation and a qualitative interview. It
confirmed that the instrument meets the needs of the school settings and
indicated how future versions could expand access to all students, especially
those experiencing complex disabilities. In addition, out-of-the-box
functionality seems to be crucial for the long-term implementation of the
instrument in a school setting.
