What are they?
Note taking accommodations either take the form of note exchanges between a student and the instructor, or between a student and a classmate who took the notes. Note taking accommodations may also include making an audio recording of the class or parts of a class or using a tablet or laptop with note taking software or apps.
Why are Note Taking Accommodations important?
Students use note taking accommodations to:
- Review difficult concepts and ideas
- Revisit instructions for assignments
- Prepare for tests and assessments
- Add more detail and/or accuracy to notes
- Increase concentration, engagement, and participation in class
- Increase autonomy, application of learning strategies, and self-regulation in learning
Who might use Note Taking Accommodations?
Students may be eligible for note taking accommodations if they have a disability that impacts their ability to listen, summarize, write quickly, or multitask. This may be a disability impacting hearing, attention, memory, social interaction, stamina, or dexterity. Some examples of relevant disabilities include a hearing impairment, a visual impairment, a Learning Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, a Mental Health Disability, or a broken arm.
How do I support note taking accommodations in my classroom?
The best way to support this accommodation is to make and offer lecture notes to everyone in your class. If only a single or a few students in your class are using this accommodation, we will work with you and each student to find the best option. You may be asked to help find and support a peer in the class to take notes. Students often want to keep a note exchange confidential, so you may be asked to collect or pass along notes to a member of the Accessibility Services team.