**7. References**


main methods of music therapy: improvisation, re-creation, composition and listening, can be applied through using GenVirtual. For the clinical cases presented, the model re-creation where the patient performs, reproduces, transforms or interprets the piece of music or

In recent years there has been a trend in software development for the treatment of various motor and cognitive disorders of people with disabilities. In particular, the use of augmented reality technology has been highlighted and enhanced by having an attractive interface generating greater motivation and consequently greater acceptance and

It is important to involve a multidisciplinary team during the inception of a virtual environment for therapeutic interventions. Thus, it is necessary to analyze the characteristics and abilities of patients considering their limitations. Therefore, a team of engineers conducted this research along with AACD therapists. The team especially considered patients treated in the field of music therapy in order to stimulate their musicality functions (through the motor potential), a cognitive characteristic, motivational aspects and individual characteristics.

Results showed that GenVirtual can be useful to include therapeutic interventions for cognitive learning, motor, psychological and social stimulation through musicality. Social programs have disseminated computers even in low-income families. And since the system is based on a conventional computational platform, the prototype can already be used at home. This may provide for family involvement in complementary activities. Therefore, the sequences of operations with GenVirtual may involve stages of maturation or development, gradual learning, development of personal relationships, the performance, composition and spontaneous child improvisation, exploration, experimentation and alternatives selection, as well as ongoing evaluation of the effects of therapy on patient's progress through treatment

Nevertheless, the virtual environments do not replace conventional medical therapies, but the tool will help empower existing treatments. We consider the positive data collected as a result of the patients' satisfaction evaluations and the family feedback is a preliminary result that needs to be extended to a greater number of individuals ('n') to confirm or not the

Assis, G. A.; Lopes, R. D. (2008). NeuroR: Realidade Aumentada Aplicada à Reabilitação dos

Azuma, R. (2001). Recent Advances in Augmented Reality. *IEEE Computer Graphics and* 

Azuma, R. (1997). A Survey of Augmented Reality. *Presence Teleoperators and Virtual* 

Baranow, A. (1999). *Musicoterapia: uma visão geral*. 1ª ed. Enelivros: Rio de Janeiro.

*X Symposium on Virtual and Augmented Reality*, pp. 1-4.

Benezon, R. (1998). *Teoria da Musicoterapia*. 2ª ed. São Paulo: Summus.

*Applications*, Vol. 21, No. 6, p. 34-47.

*Environments*, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 355-385.

Membros Superiores de Pacientes Vítimas de Acidentes Vasculares Encefálicos. *In:* 

musical model as a whole was the most commonly used method

**6. Concluding remaks** 

targets.

encountered results.

**7. References** 

participation in therapeutic treatment.


**15** 

Paul G. Jacobs *Melbourne Australia* 

**Deafness-Specific Tactic Knowledge:** 

**Social and Professional Participation** 

**A New Understanding of Mental Health, and** 

Living with a disability offers inordinate cognitive and social challenges. A person with a disability that is maximizing their social and professional opportunities therefore offers a unique understanding of human potential. This chapter proposes that a deaf individual's mastery and execution of disability-specific tactic knowledge is essential for their mental health, and their social and professional participation. Tactic knowledge defines the cognitions that an individual uses to perform practical everyday tasks to maximize their social or professional outcomes (Sternberg, 1985; Sternberg & Wagner, 1986). Disabilityspecific tactic knowledge is the individual's use of specialized proactive cognitive and social (psychosocial) strategies to identify, circumvent, or master disability-related psychological, social, or professional challenges (Jacobs, 2010). Disability-specific tactic knowledge is also speculated to be absent in individuals without disabilities. They have no need to acquire, nor require the use of, such an esoteric psychosocial skill set (Jacobs, 2010). As such, it appears that deaf individuals need to master two sets of tactic knowledge to maximize their

These concepts derive from my research with professionally successful deaf participants and owe much to research into Learning Disabilities (LD) by Henry Reiff, Paul Gerber, and Rick Ginsberg. Before elaborating on this cross-disability connection, attention will be given to issues linked with social and professional participation and also the mental health of deaf people. At the outset, however, the author acknowledges that certain mental health conditions have biological origins. But this should not distract us from the reality that adverse environmental influences and an individual's maladaptive coping strategies can negatively impact on their mental health, and social or professional pursuits. In addition, this book chapter is by no means an exhaustive survey of the deafness literature of social and professional participation, and mental health. The main aim is to canvass themes and to

thereafter illustrate the associated importance of disability-specific tactic knowledge.

By definition, deafness is not a learning disability. Deafness, however, can significantly impact on the individual's spoken expression and listening comprehension, and - by

**2. Social participation and mental health issues in deaf children** 

**1. Introduction** 

potential.

