Challenge

Most of your deaf and hard-of-hearing students will require a notetaker during your class since it is difficult to take accurate notes while watching an interpreter or trying to speechread. Notetakers are typically hearing students who are familiar with the subject matter of your course and who may or may not be members of the class. Their services are normally provided by the support services area of your campus; however, a student needing notes may ask for your help in obtaining a notetaker.

Notetakers are responsible for writing notes on pertinent information that occurs in the classroom, including lectures, discussions, presentations, reports, movies, and other media, as well as quiz and test information. Most notetakers take a training program in which they learn the principles and practices of sound notetaking. In addition, notetaker training is available on-line at www.netac.rit.edu.

You may have questions about notetaking services.

• How can you ensure that the notes are accurate? If deaf and hard-of-hearing students complain about the quality of their notes, what should you do about it?

• Can notetakers, who are physically in your class but not registered in your course, ask for clarification, for information to be repeated, or for additional information?

• If a deaf student misses class do they still get notes?

• Are copies of the notes available to hearing students in class on a regular basis?

• Although the notes are for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, if other students are unable to take notes (perhaps because of a physical reason or a language difficulty with English), can they be provided with copies of the notes?

• If a hearing student misses class because of illness or a family emergency can that student be provided with copies of the notes?

• Who owns the notes?

• What do you do if the notetaker is absent from class?

Strategies

NOTE: The handout at the left provides you with a checklist that you can print and use when communicating with the notetaker to ensure that appropriate services are provided.

Since notes are extremely valuable – in some instances they are the only means of access for deaf and hard-of-hearing students – it is vital that they be of the highest quality.

• You can assist the notetaker in recording accurate and complete information by:

  • Providing the notetaker with access to copies of all handouts.

  • Providing him/her with hard copies of all overheads. The notetaker can add comments directly on the overhead without reproducing the overhead as a note during class.

  • Providing him/her with advance notice of media that will be used in class; the notetaker may want to preview the media in preparation for the class.

  • Writing important concepts, assignments, announcements, and key vocabulary on the board.

  • Reviewing the notes, especially after the first few classes, to ensure they are accurate and complete. Advise the notetaker, and his/her supervisor if available, of any discrepancy in the notes that need editing, as well as general comments about the quality of the notes.

  • Answering notetaker questions during class.

  • Providing access to all notes posted on the web to a notetaker who is not registered for the class.

• You can also be very helpful in recruiting or recommending notetakers, perhaps students who did well in this course in a previous term.

• If the notetaker uses special equipment, such as a laptop computer or TabletPC, you can ensure that he/she is seated appropriately to simplify the notetaking process. If the deaf or hard-of-hearing student makes use of the notes during class, perhaps by reading notes while they are taken, ensure that seating facilitates this process.

• There are many other strategies that you can employ; these suggestions often benefit all students in the classroom.

  • Speak clearly, write legibly, label examples, and use transitions as you move from topic to topic. Be certain to refer to material on the board or overhead by its label, rather than by “this” or “that.”

  • Leave text and graphics in place long enough to be copied – or provide copies to all students.

  • Write numbers, formulas, vocabulary, special names, etc., on the board.

  • Provide detailed assignments in writing, or write all details on the board.

• If the notetaker is absent, seek a conscientious volunteer for the day from the other students.

You’ll notice that many other questions were raised at the start of this section. There are no universally correct answers to questions regarding distribution and ownership of notes. For that reason we encourage you to seek appropriate answers on your campus, and establish policies for your own situation.