Disability Services for Students
Notetakers
Students with disabilities sometimes need someone else to take notes during class. This can be for a variety of different disabilities. Our notetakers are students as well; they just make a copy of their notes for a student who needs this accommodation.
Notetakers are often highly motivated, thorough students who have a desire to make a difference in their community. Submitting your notes for a student with a disability does indeed make a difference.
Benefits to being a notetaker:
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$50 stipend per class for each successfully completed quarter of notes. This stipend is in the form of a gift voucher at the SOU Bookstore.
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Knowledge that you have helped ensure equal access to class for a student with a disability
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Great resume entry, demonstrating both your academic ability and cooperative work skills
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Many notetakers find they take more clear and deliberate notes when they know someone else will see them, which benefits their own studies as well
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No cost to you - photocopies of your notes are free when made in the office of Academic Support Programs
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Priority registration for the next term, when you sign up in the first few weeks of class. We believe this helps encourage repeat notetakers!
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Free loan of an AlphaSmart word processor during the term in which you take notes! (We do expect you'll use it for notetaking, and offer is first-come, first-served.)
What's involved?
Sign up (a short and simple process), and then share your notes! If you are using a laptop or one of our AlphaSmarts, you can email notes directly to DSS and we'll send them to the student. If you are handwriting your notes, come in to Academic Support Programs during office hours and copy them (for free!), then put them in a folder for the student to pick up. That's it!
How do I sign up?
If we need a notetaker in your class, we send an email to the entire class. If you received such an email, we need you! Simply respond to the email, letting the Notetaking Coordinator know that you are interested in volunteering.
Notetaker Agreement (Fill out and return to the Notetaking Coordinator)
I'd like to help, but I'm not sure if my notes are good enough. What should I do?
Take a look at the following notetaker training online. Again, it's free, and takes very little time (about an hour). Once you complete it, you should be ready to go! Please note: this training is put together by a group that works with students who are hard of hearing. While this is their focus, the information is excellent regardless of the student's disability.
