Note Taking Assistance Accommodation

Note Taking Assistance

Note taking assistance is an accommodation for students with hearing, visual, or motor limitations or those who have learning or cognitive disabilities that significantly affect the ability to take notes in class. The note taking accommodation is designed to enhance the student's learning process by having another set of notes.  This accommodation is not to be used as a substitute for attending class or taking one's own notes, if physically able. Please contact the DSO if you have difficulty obtaining your accommodations or need assistance with self-advocating or communicating your needs to your professors.  

Glean for Note Taking

Glean is a web-based note taking application that combines class notes with lecture recordings and PowerPoint slides. Students create a new note for each class session, click record, and start taking notes. There are tools to flag portions of the lecture as important, and places where you need reminders as you record your notes. Glean keeps all of your ideas and recordings together in a clean, organized space. Students can review the audio and their notes later, add more notes as they review, or print an outline of their text notes. Some benefits include:

  1. Independence - students are responsible for attending class and taking their own notes

  2. Engagement - students can take part in class without being absorbed in the process of note taking.

  3. Access - students have access to their notes immediately after class, and across platforms (laptop, tablet, or phone).

  4. Ease of Use - the software is designed so that it is simple and easy to use; students don't have to spend extra time learning how to use it.

Students who are approved for this electronic note taking assistance accommodation will need to attend a scheduled training session (approximately 30 minutes) with DSO staff. After the training, students will be assigned a license and will receive access to Glean.

Peer Note Taking

Some students may be approved for a peer note taking accommodation. This support is designed to enhance the student's learning process by having another set of notes.  This accommodation is not to be used as a substitute for attending class or taking one's own notes, if physically able. Students who are approved for the peer note taking accommodation will need to check off to send their peer notetaking accommodation on their accommodation letter for each course they wish to receive a peer note taker.

To apply for a peer note taker, complete the following process:

  1. Review your course syllabus, D2L, and/or speak with your professor to determine what resources and supports are already provided as part of the course (i.e. course format, PowerPoints, lecture notes, guided notes).

  2. Send your accommodation letters to your professors and be sure to include your peer notetaking accommodation.

  3. DSO will be notified you are requesting a peer notetaker and you will receive an email asking you to confirm that you are requesting a peer note taker for those courses. 

  4. Once our office confirms your request, we will begin locating a peer note taker. You will be notified once a peer note taker is hired and when notes have been uploaded. You will be able to access your notes through your student portal on accommodate/symplicity.

  5. It may take 2-3 weeks for the DSO to identify and hire a note taker and for you to receive notes. Please ask a classmate to share notes until your note taker is in place.

  6. Inform the DSO office immediately if: a) you are unable to log in or access your notes from Accommodate/Symplicity, b) there is a problem with the notes, c) you no longer need the notes, or, d) you withdraw from the course for which you requested notes.  

Peer Note Taking - Important Reminders

  • Notes are posted 24 hours after each class session. You are encouraged to download your notes as soon as they are available. Please be aware, if you are not accessing and downloading your notes, the DSO will assume that you no longer need the notes and will suspend your note taking accommodation.

  • If you are anticipating an "incomplete" grade for a course, consider downloading your notes from D2L onto your personal electronic device.  The DSO deletes notes from fall semester on or about January 1 and spring semester notes on or about August 1. Notes cannot be retrieved once they are deleted.

Using Your Notes Effectively

  1. Take your own notes each class session and print out any notes that your professor posts, including PowerPoint slides.

  2. Download and print your notes from D2L as soon as possible.

  3. Date your notes, review them, and file them in a notebook or folder.

  4. Compare your class notes, the note taker's notes, and the professor's notes, if available. Insert any new information.

  5. Use a highlighter, asterisks, or underline to mark important information.

  6. Insert a question mark next to concepts you don't understand. Ask your professor about these concepts during office hours.

  7. Mark announcements and information about upcoming exams or papers. Add due dates to your calendar.