The White Hands Choir is part of El Sistema’s Special Education Program, which was created in 1995 by maestro Abreu with the idea of integrating people with functional diversity into society, through music. The Special Education Program, serves 2,064 people and has been implemented in 30 Núcleos throughout Venezuela. The music education of those participating in the program is based largely on verbal and corporal expression, and instrumental practice. The purpose is to prepare them to take part in choral ensembles and orchestras.

The Rhythmic Band, The Children's Choir, the  Percussion Ensemble, We are Lara Quartet, the Handbell Ensemble  and the White Hands Choir are the Special Education Program’s ensembles. Through these ensembles, all the children, with and without disabilities, have the opportunity to interact with each other and share the same stages.

The White Hands Choir is the flagship ensemble of the Special Education Program. Formed in 1999 by professors Jhonny Gómez and Naibeth García, the White Hands Choir consists of two sections: one of corporal expression, made up primarily of children and youngsters with hearing impairments, who wear white or color gloves (depending on the work performed); and the section of verbal expression, made up of children with vision, cognitive, and motor impairments; Down syndrome; learning disabilities; autism; and children and youngsters who, without having disabilities, set an example of the right we all have to participate and enjoy equal opportunities.

The idea is to integrate into society thousands of Venezuelans who have always been segregated; to assist them in exercising their rights to participation, and enjoying equal opportunities.

There are 12 White Hands choirs based in the Núcleos of El Sistema where the Special Education Program is being implemented: Barquisimeto, Punto Fijo, Mérida, San Felipe, Duaca, Margarita, Pueblo Llano (Mérida), Aroa, Coro, Calabozo, Carora, and San Cristóbal. These choruses have made recordings for Euroarts label, and television companies of Switzerland, France, Spain, Germany, and Venezuela (Vale TV and Canal I). Hence they have been able to show their remarkable skills both nationally and internationally.

Their performances have been highly praised by world-renowned artists, such as: Simon Rattle, conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic; the Italian conductor Claudio Abbado; the Berlin Philharmonic String Quartet; Michael Landerburger, museum director of the Beethoven-Haus; Mark Churchill, director of the New England Conservatory of Music; maestro Shoji Sato; maestro Gustavo Dudamel, conductor of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra; Patricio Aizaga, conductor of the Ecuador National Orchestra; Gerald Wirth, artistic director of the Vienna Boys’ Choir; and the Italian opera soprano, Mirella Freni.

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