Western State College of Colorado

DISABILITY SERVICES HANDBOOK 2008-2009

Accommodation Procedures: Notetaking Services

Students with documented disabilities that affect their ability to take class notes may be eligible for notetaking services. Examples of disabilities that may affect notetaking ability include, but are not limited to, learning, visual, hearing, and physical disabilities.

Western uses a volunteer peer notetaking system to provide copies of class notes to students with disabilities. The faculty members in the classes in which notes are needed are the primary recruiters of volunteer notetakers. When recruiting volunteers, it is important for the faculty member to keep in mind that permission must be obtained from the student with a disability before that student’s identity can be disclosed to a notetaker.

There are several ways to recruit volunteer notetakers:

• The faculty member or the student with a disability may already know students in class who can serve as a notetaker;
• after observing students for the first couple of days, the faculty member may have a better idea of students who may be able to serve as good notetakers; or
• the faculty member can make an announcement in class asking for volunteers.

When recruiting notetakers, it may be helpful for the faculty member to talk about the benefits of becoming a notetaker. Notetakers often say that their class attendance and the quality of their notes improve when serving as a notetaker. Also, the volunteer notetaking experience is a good addition to a resume. A handout with tips for notetakers is available from Disability Services (DS).

It is helpful for faculty members to notify DS when students receiving notes are absent from class. Peer notes do not substitute for class attendance. DS does not provide notes for students who do not attend class, except possibly in the event of a medical absence or other verified emergency.

The following are things to know about arranging notetaking services:

• The student with a disability must notify DS of the need for notetaking services by completing a "Request for Notetaking Services" form for each class in which a notetaker is requested.

• The student will give a DS "Notice of Accommodation Form" to instructors in appropriate classes to verify that the student's request for notetaking services is legitimate.

• Notes can be supplied in three ways:

  1. Instructors can provide copies of their lecture notes, transparencies, etc., to the student.
  2. Peer notetakers can photocopy their class notes at the DS office.
  3. Peer notetakers can use NCR (no carbon required) paper supplied by DS.

• If a peer notetaker is used to provide class notes, the instructor should recruit a volunteer from the class as soon as possible so that services can be provided in a timely manner. The instructor should provide DS with the name and phone number of the notetaker, and the notetaker should contact the DS office to register as a notetaker. If possible, a substitute notetaker should be recruited.

• If notes are photocopied:

  1. Notetakers should photocopy their class notes at the DS office at least twice each week.
  2. Notetakers will maintain records of photocopied notes in the DS notetaking logbook.
  3. Students receiving notes will pick up photocopied notes at the DS office. The notes must be signed out in the logbook.

• If notes are taken on NCR paper, students can obtain a copy of the notes in two ways:

  1. After each class, the notetaker will give the notes to the instructor, and the instructor will give the notes to the student with a disability.
  2. If the student with a disability has given permission to be identified to the notetaker, the notetaker can give the notes directly to the student.

• Only notetakers approved by the instructor or DS may photocopy notes in the DS office.

• Class notes only may be copied at the DS office. Homework, papers, study guides, etc., may not be copied.

• Students receiving notes are responsible for notifying the instructor if the notes are of poor quality or not supplied on a regular basis. The instructor should contact the notetaker and, if necessary, recruit an alternate notetaker. The student or the instructor may request that the DS staff assist in this process.

• If the student determines that a notetaker is not needed in a class, the instructor and DS should be notified immediately.

• Students receiving notes may not share class notes received through DS with other students.

• Students receiving notes are asked to return the notes to DS at the end of the semester. The notes may be used to assist another student.

Links to Accommodation Procedures:

• Alternative Formats Of Text
• Alternative Testing
• Course Substitution
• Interpreter Services
• Notetaking Services
• Priority Registration
• Service Animals

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