Accessible virtual reality musical instruments: facilitating inclusion and accessibility in design

This thesis is an ethnographic study, qualitative in construct and embedded in third wave Human Computer Interaction research practice. It examines how immersive technology, and its ecosystem of artefacts and toolsets, can be utilised as a bedrock for inclusive research practice with accessibility, for both disabled musicians and Access Music Tutors as its core value.

It is also artistic practice as research, situating the author within two facilitated community music programmes hosted by charity and research partner Drake Music Northern Ireland. The author introduces prototype accessible virtual reality musical instruments, and methods for controlling the virtual musical environment to an experienced group of physically disabled musicians of The Wired Ensemble, and to a community music outreach programme with novice musicians attending the charity Brain Injury Matters. <br>This thesis documents how Accessible Virtual Reality Musical Instruments were prototyped, trialled, and evaluated using an inclusive methodology of two technology probes and followed by a participatory design study.