The Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) reviews requests for accommodations on an individualized, case-by-case basis. Depending on the nature and functional limitations of a student’s documented disability, the student may be eligible for note-taking assistance.
SDS note-taking assistance is an accommodation that provides access to course lectures for students whose documented disability affects their ability to take notes. Students eligible for note-taking assistance are typically eligible to record class audio and/or obtain copies of displayed lecture materials such as PowerPoint slides and handouts, and/or may take photos of the board or screen. Notes and lecture materials provided are not a replacement for a student’s class attendance.
Many students find that the need for written or typed notes varies depending on the type of class, such as a discussion-based course compared with a large lecture. Furthermore, courses where class notes are uploaded to Blackboard for the whole class may not require students to take extensive notes.
In cases where professors make notes available to students or classes use hands-on activities such as labs or studios, the note-taking accommodation may not be necessary. In all cases, it is important to speak with your professors about their course plans and expectations in order to learn how to best implement your accommodations.
SDS offers a range of assistive technology (AT) and other options for note-taking assistance accommodation. Learn more by visiting the Note-Taking Accommodations page.