Note-Taking Services

Note-taking Policies and Procedures

Note-taking Policy for traditional, in-person classes:

Note-taking services can be applied to lecture-based courses. Courses that are discussion-based or activity-based may not qualify for peer-notetaking. 

Detailed PowerPoint slides, fill-in-the-blank note packets, and smart pens are approved supplemental note-taking accommodations in lieu of a peer notetaker if one does not volunteer.

Note-taking Policy for Synchronous online classes:

Note-taking will only be necessary for online classes with live, synchronous lectures in which transcripts are not provided. Note-taking for online courses is only for live lecture materials; peer note-takers will not upload notes for required readings.

Note-taking Policy for Asynchronous online classes:

Asynchronous online courses where students can pause, stop, and rewatch lecture videos do not qualify for a peer note-taker, as students are expected to watch lectures and take notes. The note-taking accommodation is intended to supplement notes for courses where students are not in control of the rate at which instructional material is delivered. 

Student Responsibilities:

• Attend class and be attentive
• Take notes during class, a peer note-taker is intended to supplement personal notes rather than replace them. Peer note-takers are volunteer-based and can potentially miss class or course content as they are student volunteers.
• Read and take notes on required readings
• Request and confirm note-taking services for your courses

Contact the Office of Accessibility Services if:

• The professor has not made an announcement to try and recruit a note-taker within one week of receiving your accommodation letter.
• The professor has made an announcement to recruit a notetaker, and you have not been assigned a notetaker by the third week of class.
• A note-taker was assigned to the course, but notes are not uploaded within 48 hours of each lecture.

How to request and confirm Note-Taking Services:

Requesting Note-Taking Services:

Note-taking services are requested using the same method as other accommodations provided by OAS. We have created a walk-through guide to explain the process of requesting an accommodation: How to Submit an Accommodation Request

Confirming Note-Taking Services:

After the first week of classes, OAS will ask you to confirm your request for a note-taker. In some cases, once students understand the format of a course and the additional resources provided with the course, they decide that a note-taker is no longer needed for the course. 

We have created a walk-through guide that explains to explain the process of confirming a note-taker: How to Confirm Need for a Note-taker

For information for Faculty and Staff, please visit: Faculty and Staff Note-Taking Policies and Procedures

For information for Note-taker Volunteers, please visit: Volunteer Note-Taker Policies and Procedures