The college/university is legally obligated to provide students with disabilities access to lecture material. This obligation usually supersedes issues around confidentiality and intellectual property. If you have a specific concern regarding note-taking services for your course please contact the student’s Accessibility Consultant.  

Note-taking services are an essential accommodation that enables many students with disability-related difficulties with writing or typing notes to access in-class material. Currently, two note-taking services are available - both of which are coordinated by Peer Assisted Learning Support (PALS).

1. Audio Recordings Used to Produce Notes:
   Students audio record their classes using a cell phone, tablet, digital recorder, laptop or other device and upload the audio files to their secure account with Humber’s service provider. The service provider creates notes within 72 hours and makes them available on the students’ secure account for download. This is currently the primary note-taking solution being provided to students.
2. Peer Note Taker:
   In a limited number of circumstances, students may be assigned a peer note-taker.
   
   PALS may need faculty help: PALS occasionally hires students as peer note-takers to take notes which are confidentially distributed to students requiring this service. You may be contacted by Christine Bartley, Coordinator, Note Taking Services at christine.bartley@humber.ca in the event a peer note taker is required for a student in one of your classes.
   
   Note-taking services are not a replacement for class attendance. Students with note-taking services, like all students, are expected to attend classes regularly.
   
   For more information on Note Taking Services and answers to frequently asked questions, we invite faculty to visit the Note Taking Services Faculty Information page to learn more.

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDENTS:

• Requiring a student using note-taking services to cease recording is only acceptable when all students are prohibited from taking notes. If you are presenting sensitive or confidential information that you do not want audio recorded, you must prohibit all students from taking notes, and/or provide an equitable alternative to access the information (e.g., provide a summary of discussion themes to the class.)
• The need for note-taking services can be lessened by posting lecture notes to Blackboard. Some professors, for participation marks, assign a different group of students each week to take accurate notes collectively and post them on Blackboard to be shared with the whole class.