Note-taking Accommodations

Some students with disabilities have difficulty taking notes. For example, a student with an auditory processing problem may take few or unclear notes. Physical and hearing impairments may also limit speed and make note-taking difficult. A note-taking accommodation is intended to provide information that the student would have gotten on his/her own, if it were not for his/her disability. 
Note-taking assistance is provided as a necessary academic accommodation and is not considered a substitute for a student’s full participation in class. Assistance is determined on a class-by-class basis and is dependent upon the nature of each course and the method of instruction as it relates to the student’s documented disability. Notes and/or recordings are for a student’s personal study use only and are not to be shared with other individuals unless this is provided to all class participants.

Common ways to provide note-taking accommodations include the following:

• Guided notes
• Instructor lecture notes
• Presentation slides
• Notetaker notes
• Audio recordings

Guided notes are outlines, provided by the instructor, with spaces or blanks that the student can fill in during the lecture. Guided notes encourage student participation during class and minimize the amount of writing required to keep up with the information being presented. Students should consider using a laptop computer and note-taking software for note-taking. Teachers could then provide outlines electronically.
Lecture notes are notes provided to the student by the professor prior to the lecture. Some professors provide comprehensive notes for each class, eliminating the need for additional note taking assistance. These notes may take the form of PowerPoint slides, LMS notes, or other formats. If we determine from the professor that additional notes are not necessary, then the instructor-provided notes will suffice for this class.
Presentation slides are copies of the classroom presentation provided by your professor prior to class.  Copies of presentation slides might also serve as guides for note-taking. Having the slides available during class will allow you to focus on the presentation and minimize the amount of copying or writing required.
Notetaker notes are copies of notes from a designated note-taker that are shared through the Bison Accessibility Portal. While these notes are easy to use, the legibility or clarity of the notes may limit their usefulness. These notes are also the note takers interpretation of the lecture, which may not match what you may need to remember (key concepts). For these reasons, it is best if you can take some notes for yourself.

Audio recording is the most accurate and complete way to capture class information, except in situations where the lecture format is highly visual, as it might be in math or science classes (math problems on the board or demonstrations in science). The student is responsible for recording the lecture and other class information.

Available Solutions

Note-taking accommodation may be provided in one of the following methods:
1.    GLEAN (formerly Sonocent Audio Notetaker)
Glean is an application that can be used from a computer or mobile device for recording lectures. Users can embed PDFs to accompany the audio recording. Students can add their own text notes alongside the recording and can highlight sections of the audio for future reference. More information and tutorial videos can be found at www.glean.co. 

2.    LiveScribe™ Pens
The Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources has a limited supply of LiveScribe pens to provide to students. These pens can be loaned to students to use for all of their classes. LiveScribe pens record both the audio of lectures and the student’s own written notes, and the two are synced for convenient playback. Notes can then be stored and played back in a variety of applications, including Evernote and Google Docs. More information about the Livescribe pen can be found at www.livescribe.com.

3.    Notes provided by the professor
Some professors provide comprehensive notes for each class, eliminating the need for additional note-taking assistance. These notes may take the form of PowerPoint slides, class notes, or other formats. If we determine from the professor that additional notes are not necessary, then the instructor-provided notes will suffice for this class. The professor is not required to provide their personal notes or create comprehensive notes if they have not already been created for the class.

4.    Digital recorders
Our office has digital recorders available for loan if you do not wish to use the Livescribe pen but you still want to record the lectures.

5.    Use of a personal laptop or mobile device
Individuals who are eligible for use of a laptop computer or mobile device for note-taking are responsible for bringing a laptop or mobile device to each class/meeting. Students are only permitted to use appropriate note-taking programs/software during class. Students found to be misusing this accommodation (i.e., using the Internet when not permitted during class) may have this accommodation revoked and an alternate provision implemented.

6.    Written notes by an in-class note taker
This accommodation is intended for:

• Students with sensory disabilities, for instance, those that cannot see the board, cannot write notes and watch the interpreter, etc. 
• Students with physical/mobility disabilities that impact the ability to write notes 
• Students with an auditory processing disability that impacts their ability to interpret what is actually said in class. 

An in-class notetaker may be assigned to your class to record notes. The note taker will upload a copy of the notes to the Bison Accessibility Portal after each class. You can download the notes at your convenience from the portal. The note taker will be a student enrolled in the class, and the identity of students receiving notes is confidential. You must attend class to receive notes using this accommodation. If you are absent from class, the notes may not be provided. Peer notetaker notes are not considered a substitute for your full participation in class.
If a note taker is not identified within 3 days, it is the responsibility of the student to contact the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources and a second request will be sent out as well as the implementation of alternatives. If no note takers are identified, the student is to contact CADR to discuss alternative options.

Other solutions

There are many other solutions that are available on laptops and mobile devices. CADR has a list of some available options at: https://www.ndsu.edu/disabilityservices/assistive_technology/apps_to_support_students_in_higher_ed/note_taking_apps/ .