My sister Jan Wyatt, who has died aged 83, was a professional musician and educationist who worked with disabled and disadvantaged people. From 1985 to 1999 she was head of Site – the Section for Independence Through Education – at the City Lit in London, where adult students with learning difficulties studied subjects of their choice or that matched their ability. Her work included training tutors, other professionals and volunteers in the use of creative techniques to develop abilities and skills.

She also directed Special Jam, a group of adults with learning difficulties and special musical ability who played mainly percussion instruments and sang their own compositions. They gave regular performances to invited audiences in London, and performed at festivals in King’s Lynn and Glasgow.

The philosophy that informed all Jan’s work was that music is communication. It can break through the barriers of fear and inhibition when people are allowed to use it as a creative medium to express ideas both verbally and non-verbally. She used collaborative techniques that combine musical and verbal ideas to develop individual and group statements or pieces for performance.

Jan was born on the family farm at Walberton, near Arundel, West Sussex, to Elsie (nee Norman), a nurse, and Frank Wyatt. At Trinity College of Music, London, she studied the piano and harpsichord, and sang.

She was a member of staff at Trinity (1961-81), a lecturer in the school of communication at the Polytechnic of Central London (1969-78) and a member of staff at the Guildhall School of Music’s performance and communications department (1984-2000). In Sri Lanka she trained professionals and volunteers as director of the Action Research project (1980-81). In 1986 she was appointed MBE for her work in music for all abilities.

Among her many projects, she led workshops for several orchestras and other organisations, including the Hallé, London Philharmonic and London Symphony orchestras, what is now the Royal Northern Sinfonia and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. She also directed a project at Lansdowne school, south London, involving members of the LSO and pupils with special educational needs in 1991, and conducted River Thames, a piece composed and performed by adults with learning difficulties with members of the London Festival Orchestra in 1998.

Jan lived in Highgate, north London, and later moved to Plumstead, in the south-east of the city. She was involved with the London Friendship Centre for many years, as social secretary, chair, and editor of its magazine, London Link, and also with the Greenwich Friendship Centre.

Jan is survived by her brothers, Norman and Russell, and sisters, Mary and me.