Kimberly Steele's standardized method of teaching music is great for students with learning challenges. By utilizing a disciplined learn-by-ear approach, Ms. Kim has had astounding success with students with autism and other handicaps.
Learning music can be a life-changing experience for a child with a learning disability. I often point out to all my students that two of the most gifted and talented pianists that ever graced the world of music were blind: Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. You don't need your eyes to play music, and all too often this is forgotten by the old-school music teachers of the world. Just because you use your ears to learn music the natural way doesn't mean you cannot learn to properly read music. For learning disabled people, I believe that the combination of certain types Music Theory and ear training can open up the awesome ability to play anything they want.
When I was a child in the 1980's, there was not a great deal of autism awareness. Nowadays, 1 in every 150 children is recognized as autistic. From my experience, kids with autism, when trained properly in aural skills, learn new music as fast or faster than "normal" kids. The right kind of musical training can instill a respect for the idea of disciplined study in an autistic person. Weekly structured creative assignments, such as composing a Waltz specifically in 3/4 time and in D minor, help develop creativity with a sense of purpose. Exercises where student is to imitate a small passage of music that teacher plays by ear encourage the autistic student to hone his or her attention. Memorization and repeated performance of songs enhances the brain's capacity for storing both larger forms and smaller nuances and details.
Ever had an uncle or aunt that couldn't read a note but could play any Holiday or folk song that existed? This is a skill known as comping or faking that I've written extensive articles on for music magazines. When you are taught early on to play what you hear, just like an ape or a parrot, it develops a much needed skill in understanding music. Comping is not the same is reading music, but it can help a great deal when one is trying to understand or memorize music. I teach all of my students to comp/fake. It's a part of the big picture. Learning disabled students are usually very good at picking up this basic skill, so I use the intuitive process of comping to get them to understand the structures that make up all music.