Chapter 8 - Notetaking Services and Options

Research shows that students who take good notes are more engaged in class and ultimately earn better grades.  Disability Access Services (DAS) provides technology to help students independently meet their request for notetaking accommodations.  All eligible students may choose one of the following DAS-provided notetaking technologies which record lectures.  The student must attend class to utilize notetaking services and options.

Two other types of notetaking services may be available on a case-by-case basis.  Eligibility is dependent on the specific impact(s) of the disability and/or the student’s ability to physically take notes.   

  • Peer-to-Peer Notetakers
  • Real-Time Transcribing

New page for website Have the information above the landing page, then one for Glean, LiveScribe Smart Pen, P2P and Real-time transcribing.

Glean  

With Glean, students can audio record their lectures, which enables them to focus on what they are hearing during the lecture, flag what the instructor identifies as important, and then come back to their recording to create effective notes.  Students can also import slides and images that connect to their audio recording to create multi-media study resources.   Glean Resources

Glean is a web application which can be accessed on any laptop or desktop computer through the Chrome Web browser.  Glean works on any operating system:  Windows, Mac, Chromebooks and Linux. 

Student Responsibilities 

  • Students should make their request using DAS Student Portal for Glean at least one week before the start of the term, as Glean is renewed on a term-by-term basis.  
  • Requests for Glean are processed in the order they are received. 
  • To use Glean, each term, students will sign an agreement to use the program’s audio recordings of course lectures solely for their own educational purposes.  Students also agree to not make copies or release the audio recordings of course lectures to others, post to websites and/or social media, sell, or in any way hinder the instructor’s ability to obtain a copyright of this lecture content.  
  • Failure to comply with this policy may result in a hold on notetaking services and referral to OSU's Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. 
  • Inform DAS as soon as possible of any problems accessing Glean notetaking system, using it in classes/meetings, or other technological issues.  

DAS Responsibilities 

  • If approved, DAS will email the student’s instructors a notification email, letting the instructors know the student has requested to use Glean as their notetaking accommodation. 
  • DAS provides training on how to use Glean technology.

Livescribe Smartpen 

  1. The Livescribe Smartpen is a writing tool that records spoken words and synchronizes them with notes written on specialized paper provided by DAS.  A student can record everything an instructor says and then replay any part of it later by tapping the pen's tip to the word on the paper. 
  2. All pens use a high-speed infrared camera.
  3. With an active Bluetooth connection within the device, the Smartpen streams your handwritten notes to the device in real-time. 
  4. Captured notes flow to your companion device, like a mobile or desktop device, via the free Livescribe+ App.

Student Responsibilities 

  • Students should make their request using DAS Student Portal to use the Livescribe Smartpen software at least one week before the start of the term.   
  • Requests for Livescribe Smartpens are processed in the order that they are received. 
  • DAS loans the Livescribe Smartpen to the student on a term-by-term basis. 
  • The student is responsible for the care of the equipment.  The student agrees to pay all costs associated with any damage to the equipment or if the equipment is lost or stolen. 
  • Inform DAS as soon as possible of any problems with using the Livescribe Smartpens in classes/meetings, uploading files to a computer, or other technological issues. 
  • To use the Livescribe Smartpen, each term, students will sign an agreement to use the program’s audio recordings of course lectures solely for their own educational purposes.  Students will also agree to not make copies or release the audio recordings of course lectures to others, post to websites and/or social media, sell, or in any way hinder the instructor’s ability to obtain a copyright of this lecture content.  
  • Failure to comply with this policy may result in a hold on notetaking services and referral to OSU's Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. 

DAS Responsibilities 

  • If approved, DAS will email the student’s instructor a notification letter, letting the instructor know the student has requested to use Livescribe Smartpen technology to meet their notetaking accommodation. 
  • DAS provides training on how to use the Smartpen technology.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Notetaking Services 

For on-campus, in-person lecture classes, DAS will provide P2P notetakers for students who, due to the disability, cannot use the other notetaking technologies offered by DAS. 

A P2P notetaker is: 

  1. Another student enrolled in the class.  
  2. Expected to attend all classes.
  3. Expected to take neat, detailed notes during the lecture.
  4. Expected to upload the notes within 24 hours to the DAS system.

DAS does not typically provide P2P notetakers for the following courses: 

  • Ecampus 
  • ALS (Academic Learning Services) 
  • PAC (Physical Activity Courses) 
  • Lab 
  • Recitation 
  • Practicum 
  • Internship 
  • Other non-lecture courses 

Notetaking Services will automatically cancel the above notetaking request and change the status to one of the options below: 

  • Ecampus – Notetaking Not Provided 
  • Non-Lecture Class – Additional Information Needed for Notetaking 

If one of the above classes requires lecture notes, students must schedule an appointment with their DAS adviser to have their request reviewed.  To schedule an appointment, please email your DAS adviser or call (541) 737-4098 (front desk).  

Student Responsibilities 

  • Request notetaking services using DAS Student Portal at least one week before the start of the term. Students are encouraged to request accommodations within 48 hours of registering for classes.  Requests for notetaking services are processed in the order in which they are received. 
  • Respond to requests for information from DAS as soon as possible. 
  • Cancel notetaking requests if notes are not needed for a course. 
  • It is the policy of DAS that for students to receive P2P notetaking services, students agree they will NOT distribute, post on-line, copy for others, or sell the notes provided by the DAS P2P notetaker or the instructor. 
  • Failure to comply with this policy may result in a hold on notetaking services and referral to OSU's Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. 

Once a P2P notetaker is assigned: 

  • The student can log into DAS Student Portal  and click on Notetaking Services to see the P2P notetaker’s name and contact information.  The student will also receive an email notification stating that a P2P notetaker has been assigned to the class.  
  • Students receiving notes will get an email notification that the notes have just been uploaded.  
  • Students are encouraged to develop and maintain a working relationship with the P2P notetaker, either in person or via email. For tips on how to communicate with a P2P notetaker, visit this page: Communications Tools
  • Students must attend class in order to receive notes. If the student does not attend class, they should ask another classmate for notes. 
  • Students should review notes on a regular basis.  Notify [email protected] if the quality or the delivery of the notes were insufficient.  If students cannot access the notes, they can come to the DAS office for technical assistance. Students should bring a laptop to this meeting. 
  • At the end of each term, students need to sign the notetaking invoice verifying notes were received.  
  • Student will receive an email notification that the invoice is ready to sign.

What happens if students are not matched to a P2P notetaker after the start of the term: 

  • DAS will email the need for a P2P notetaker to your instructor, asking them to read the announcement in class or post an announcement on the course website (not mentioning the name of the student).  If you do not hear this announcement in class or see this announcement in Canvas by the first week of the term or within three days of requesting accommodations, please notify DAS Notetaking Services immediately.  
  • In the meantime, consider recruiting classmates to become a P2P notetaker.  Please note: Students who self-recruit are the most satisfied with the quality of the notes.  If you find a classmate to take notes, please direct them to the Employment at DAS section of the DAS website.  
  • Students can also email [email protected] with the potential P2P notetaker's name and email address, and DAS will contact them.  Please remember that the P2P notetaker must be enrolled in the class. 
  • Contact DAS Notetaking Services with any questions or concerns about recruiting a P2P notetaker. 
  • If a P2P notetaker has not been assigned by the end of week 2 of the term, please schedule an appointment with DAS Notetaking Services at 541-737-3672 or email [email protected] to discuss potential options. 

DAS Responsibilities: 

If approved, DAS will email the student’s instructor a notification letter, letting the instructor know a student has requested to use their P2P notetaking accommodation.  If DAS does not have an assigned P2P notetaker in the class, DAS will take the following steps: 

  • The student will receive an email asking for confirmation of the need for a P2P notetaker.  This question is asked as the student may request a P2P notetaker before the beginning of the term.  Sometimes, instructors post notes online for everyone, and the student forgets to cancel the notetaking request. 
  • If the student confirms they still need a P2P notetaker, DAS will continue with the recruitment process to find a P2P notetaker.  
  • If the student does not confirm the need for a P2P notetaker, they will receive a second email 48 hours later asking for confirmation of the request.  If the student still does not confirm, a third and final request to confirm will be emailed in another 48 hours.   
  • If there is no response to the third confirmation email, the request is automatically cancelled out of the system and DAS will no longer recruit a P2P notetaker in that class. 

If the student confirms the need for a P2P notetaker and no one has signed up to take notes for the class, DAS will take the following steps: 

  • Email the instructor asking for assistance in recruiting a P2P notetaker by making an announcement (without mentioning names) in class or via Canvas. 
  • DAS may also recruit a P2P notetaker by emailing students in the class with high GPA's. 
  • DAS will offer a technology-based notetaking option.   
  • If no in-class P2P notetaker can be found and technology won't work for the student, DAS will assign a DAS student worker to the class to be the P2P notetaker. 

Real-Time Transcribing Services as a Notetaking Accommodation  

Students are expected to attend all classes.  If a student is late to class, they will receive transcription from the time they arrived in class. 

For on-campus lecture classes, DAS will provide real-time transcribing services for students who, due to their disability, cannot use the other notetaking options offered by DAS. Class discussions, environmental noise, social interaction among other students, and non-lecture related comments (jokes, etc.) will also be transcribed. 

Real-time transcribers will upload notes to the DAS system, and students receiving notes will get an email notification that the class transcript have been uploaded.  Class transcripts should be uploaded within 24 hours.

See Chapter 12 for additional information.

 

Page Updated: 10/2024