Note-taking Services

Note-taking services can assist eligible students in analyzing and organizing the information presented during live lectures. Eligible OSD students may request their peer notetaker or note-taking software accommodation via their OSD Student Portal.

We do not provide this service to substitute a student's class attendance or participation, but to support their academic performance. 

OSD student information is kept confidential (anonymous) unless otherwise requested by the OSD student. 

Course Eligibility

Eligible Courses:

• Synchronous courses (live in-person; required attendance). 

Non-Eligible Courses:

• Asynchronous courses (pre-recorded; optional or no required attendance).
• This may also include, but is not limited to, courses where the professor only conducts independent coursework, activities, fieldwork, internships, group projects, one-on-ones, or open discussions.
• If you believe a non-eligible course is eligible for note-taking services, please get in touch with OSD Note-taking Services regarding your request.

Requesting Services

To request a peer notetaker or note-taking software, eligible OSD students need to submit an accommodation request through the OSD Student Portal (AIM).

If you need help with the process, please stop by or contact the main OSD office via phone.

Peer Note-taking Process

What happens next?

PHASE 1

Before the beginning of week one (1) of the semester, Note-taking Services will issue Messenger Pigeon (note-taking software) accounts to all students with at least one (1) eligible note-taking request. This will include a follow-up email from the Note-taking Service explaining how to access and use the service.

Following week one, new accounts will be issued weekly.

Students can also request access to their account immediately following week one (1) once they have requested note-taking services through their OSD Student Portal.

PHASE 2

During week 2, Note-taking Services will begin following up with students regarding whether they require a peer (volunteer) notetaker.

After the email confirmation, Note-taking Services will notify the instructor(s) and ask for their help in recruiting a peer notetaker from the class.

We will assign an available notetaker to the class when one becomes available. In the meantime, it is at the OSD student's discretion whether to use their Messenger Pigeon account until a volunteer comes forward and starts uploading notes.

Additional Support Services

If a note-taker is unavailable for a request or the student is not allowed to record in class and/or cannot use Messenger Pigeon, they will need to follow up with their assigned Disability Management Specialist during drop-ins or by appointment regarding their note-taking accommodation to review and determine how best to provide additional support.

Preferred Notetakers

If the student has a preferred notetaker that they have recruited from the course, and they can email Note-taking Services with the course information, notetaker's name, and email address, so that we may assign them to the class.

Note-taking Software Process

What happens next?

Before the beginning of week one (1) of the semester, Note-taking Services will issue Messenger Pigeon accounts to all students with at least one (1) eligible note-taking request. This will include a follow-up email from the Note-taking Service explaining how to access and use the service.

Following week one, new accounts will be issued weekly.

Students can also request access to their account immediately following week one (1) once they have requested note-taking services through their OSD Student Portal.

Additional Support Services

If the student is not allowed to record in class and/or cannot use Messenger Pigeon, they will need to follow up with their assigned Disability Management Specialist during drop-ins or by appointment regarding their note-taking software accommodation to review and determine how best to provide additional support.

Note Delivery

We use the support from peer volunteer notetakers and note-taking software to meet this service's goal of providing notes to eligible students. 

Whether the OSD student receives lecture notes via a peer notetaker or software, notes will be delivered by download, and the student will receive an email whenever new notes are available. 

If the student is not receiving notes via the assigned peer notetaker or software, they should notify Note-taking Services immediately by email at OSD Note-taking Services.