In order for a student to receive the Peer Notetaker Accommodation, they must:
- Be registered with the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS).
- Be registered for this accommodation based on their needs, and have it documented in their accommodation letter.
- Communicate with the professor that they intend to use their accommodations in the course.
Professors will first be alerted via the student's accommodation letter sent by OARS each semester. If the student is registered for a peer notetaker, it will be stated in the student's accommodation letter as follows:
Accommodation letter text: "The student will need a notetaker for this class. OARS will provide this once the student has requested this in written format."
COVID-19 Impact: Because classroom learning will vary this fall, the notetaker accommodation may not apply to all courses. OARS will continue to provide notetakers for any F2F synchronous (i.e. live) lectures, whether in person or virtual. Notetakers will not be provided for any online courses where the lecture content is delivered asynchronous (i.e. pre-recorded). OARS will work with the student and professor to determine if the notetaker accommodation will apply to a course.
OARS Responsibility | Student Responsibility | Faculty Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
Determine student eligibility for a student notetaker as an accommodation. Send out an accommodation letter in a timely manner. Consult with faculty (when necessary) to discuss this accommodation. Recruit, hire and employ a student notetaker. Create and give access to the Google Drive folder that notes will be uploaded into. | Complete the Notetaker Request Form to request notetaker from OARS. Include the name of the course, section, and professor's name. To ensure notetakers are in place prior to the beginning of a course, notetaker requests should be submitted 2-4 weeks before the course start date. | Assist OARS with class lists to recruit appropriate peer notetakers if needed. |
Accommodation application in an online setting: As a general practice, this accommodation is not needed for an online course. If a synchronous course meeting is required, a student may request a notetaker.
Qualification for accommodation: Student notetaker is considered an appropriate accommodation for students who an assistive technology is unable to meet their needs.