People with developmental disabilities have demonstrated emotional responses to music that are similar to that of people without disabilities. People are able to learn new tasks and skills through repetition and rehearsal of specific material. Because music appeals to so many, it can be used as a source of motivation to work on repetitive tasks that require the following skills: imitation, object identification, auditory discrimination, command following, body movement, and sequential memory. These skills are necessary for use in work, leisure, and self-care.

Research suggests the possibility that music uses the right hemisphere of the brain to enhance bilateral hemispheric performance, and therefore increasing overall processing efficiency. Increases in processing efficiency would be marked by increases in capacity and improvement in the ability to attend as directed.

Music has also been used successfully as a reinforcer in behavior modification. Music therapists structure music interventions to maximize appropriate social interactions. The use of adapted musical instruments ensures success for people with multiple physical and intellectual disabilities.

Instrumental, singing, and movement interventions naturally provide a variety of stimuli for use in sensory integration, including vestibular, tactile, visual, and auditory stimuli. The music therapist structures these interventions in ways which simultaneously address needs in social/emotional, physical, communication, and behavioral areas for adults and children with developmental disabilities.

Examples are listed below for ways of using music to interact with adults and children with developmental disabilities: