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NOTE-TAKING ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION

The use of an in-class student note-taker is an accommodation that can be requested by students registered with Disability Services and Programs (DSP). Students recommended for this accommodation ideally receive notes from a student, professor, or teaching assistant already associated with the course. This is accomplished by having the notes uploaded onto our secure site. When a note-taker cannot be found to upload the notes then students eligible for this accommodation should contact their instructor or department to discuss possible alternatives. Students in the law school should contact the department regarding all accommodation needs.

THE PROCESS

1. Student registers with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) for the current semester and requests a note-taker as an accommodation. This is for in-class activities


2. Letters are prepared detailing the accommodations recommended by DSP for the student.


3. Accommodation letters are shared by the student with either the instructor or appropriate department contact person for each course that accommodations are requested


4. Eligible students are able to view notes for their class/es that are uploaded onto the DSP managed website.


5. Faculty members are encouraged to make announcements in their courses at the beginning of each semester stating that “the Disability Services and Programs office is in need of student note-takers”. Any interested students should email notetake@usc.edu with questions and begin uploading notes onto our website. Professor announcements MUST be anonymous and SHOULD NOT include the name or any identifying information of the DSP student. The website for uploading notes can be found at: https://sait.usc.edu/notetaker


6. Students can have DSP contact their professor to request an anonymous announcement by sending the email address of the professor to notetake@usc.edu.


7. Faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants are also encouraged to login to our website and use the uploaded notes as a reference. Our office also encourages giving extra credit as an incentive to student note-takers that do a great job.


8. To reward the top note-takers, there will be a point system that allows note-takers to compete for $100 in discretionary card money. The top 50 note-takers (based on points) will receive this discretionary card money at the end of the semester. These numbers will be increased as needed to fairly reward quality note-takers.
   
   
   1. DSP students can give points by clicking on the note-taker name (first initial and last name) from the view notes page. The full name is not listed in order to somewhat protect the identity of the note-taker. DSP students currently have 10 points to give for each course they have listed in our system. Once points have been given they cannot be taken away.
   
   
   2. Faculty and TA’s will eventually be able to give points to note-takers also. They will have 20 points for each course. Until this feature is set up they are encouraged to contact notetake@usc.edu in order to request points to be given to certain note-takers.
   
   
   3. DSP Administrators will also be able to give points in order to justly reward note-takers consistently posting quality notes.


9. 9. DSP does not guarantee that a note-taker can be found for each course. When difficulty finding a note-taker arises the DSP student should contact their professor or appropriate department contact person. The goal is for everyone to work together to help find a note-taker. This typically cannot be done without the assistance of the faculty member.

 

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