Not being able to play melodies myself... hmmm.

Like harmonicas, PAN PIPES can be held still in a brace while the player skids his head back and forth to play them. And a note on harmonicas: they don't all sound alike. You can get big, expensive, low toned jobs that blend with human voices instead of wailing over them.

Hmmm... steel drums? They can play melodies. And might make parents cry ;-)

I saw a show about Appalachian music the other day on PBS. They had one guy who had been an accomplished musician before losing his fret hand to a saw mill. He still played the violin, and his music seemed well respected. I think he was included in the show because of his style of music, ratehr than his disability. His stump was pretty well covered in cloth so it was impossible to tell exactly how he pressed down the strings, but man, this guy could play! He sounded great. It was amazing.

Seeing something like that might or might not be inspirational to your students. But it sure startled me. I whine when I break a fingernail. I knew a guy who put his classical guitar away forever when he lost the tip of one finger. Determination can work wonders.

I also once saw video of a professional jazz musician who, if i remember correctly, had a whole system of levers added to his sax so he could play it one handed.