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• Accommodation Description
• Rights & Responsibilities
• Exam Services Guidelines
• Note Taking Accommodation Guidelines
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Notetaking Accommodation Guidelines
for Instructors

Notetaking Accommodation Approval

The submission of the Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) form with the notetaking service accommodation noted is an official request from the eligible student for a note taker. The University of Iowa uses a volunteer note taking system to provide copies of class notes to students with disabilities. Instructors are the primary recruiters of volunteer note-takers. When recruiting volunteers, it is important for the faculty member to keep in mind that the confidentiality of the student using this accommodation must be maintained. It is the obligation of faculty to ensure this accommodation is provided, and your assistance is greatly valued.

Options

• The instructor or the student with a disability may already know a student in class who can serve as a notetaker.
  
  
• After observing students for the first couple of days, the instructor may have a better idea of students who may be able to serve as good notetakers.
  
  
• The instructor may solicit a volunteer student notetaker from class. Below is a sample of an announcement that instructors can use in class, via email, or posted on ICON to help you identify a volunteer from your class. This announcement should be anonymous to protect the student’s right to confidentiality.
  
  

“I am looking for a volunteer to share lecture notes with a student in this class. If you are willing to do this, please contact me.”



• You may have a teaching assistant take notes and share a copy with the student.
  
  
• You may choose to share a copy of your own notes. These notes would need to be thorough and more comprehensive than a Power Point or outline.

Information regarding notetakers

• Once a volunteer notetaker has been identified, please give his or her contact information to the student with a disability. It is the eligible student’s responsibility to contact the volunteer and make arrangements to get the class notes.
• Please provide the notetaker with Notetaker's Guidelines.

PLEASE NOTE: Notetaking is not a substitute for classroom attendance. The notetaker is not required to give a copy of his/her notes for classes that the student with a disability does not attend.

For more information, contact SDS at sds-information@uiowa.edu.