In some cases, students may have challenges with processing information from their class meetings due to a disability-related reason. For a variety of reasons, student may need assistance in leaving a lclass meeting and feeling like they are fully prepare to study. CAE's goal is to provide students support for this need while also necouraging student responsibility and independence in notetaking.
Below, you will find a couple of different solutions that CAE recommends and approves for students. CAE Disability Specialists engage in an interactive process with the student to determine what solution will work best for them. The information below can prepare you as you consider what options may work best for you when you discuss your needs with your Disability Specialist.
Notetaking Options
Glean
Glean is a web- based application that allows students to capture audio and upload slides, diagrams, and text notes to include alongside each recording. Students are able to capture presentations without writing and can highlight key points for review. Glean can be accessed online, downloaded to your computer desktop, or via a mobile app.
Glean visualizes audio as bars, which can be coordinated with typed notes and visual supports (such as lecture presentation slides or handouts). Glean allows students to audio record lecture notes in real time using a smartphone, tablet, or laptop and uses audio, text, and images. Glean can help you to organize notes, as you are able to group lectures by class or subject and label them. Labels, power points, and handouts are searchable using the online application, desktop version, or via cell phone using Glean Mobile.
Otter Voice Notes
This web-based application offers audio recording with automatic transcription. Otter is designed to understand and capture long-form conversations that take place between multiple people. Otter records conversations from your phone or computer. Imports or syncs recordings from other services and integrates seamlessly with Zoom. Get real-time captions and, within minutes, a searchable transcript synched with audio. You are able to add photos, speakers, and key phrases.
Livescribe Smart Pen
This smartpen synchronizes handwritten notes with recorded audio, making the ubiquitous pen more useful in today’s world. Livescribe Smartpens convert handwritten notes and audio to a digital format for access through the devices we use daily, fundamentally changing the way handwritten notes are accessed and shared. Pen and paper is still the most popular method of notetaking.
Livescribe Smartpen matches live recorded audio to handwritten notes taken on specialized paper
Both audio and notes can be converted into electronic versions and accessed through desktop software allowing students to record lecture notes for later review.
Peer Notetaking Support
Students using peer notetaking support will have the CAE match them with a peer notetaker who is a student in the course, and the student with the accommodation will receive a copy of their notes.
This may be useful for students who have difficulty extracting relevant points from course material or have difficulty both listening back to audio recordings and reading through transcripts.
Please note: We highly recommend technology-based notetaking options over peer notetaking, as there are many benefits to these technology-based options, including that they are reliable and provide more individualized control over the notetaking process.
Audio Recording
As you may note, many of our notetaking tools involve the ability to record lectures. When a student is approved for "Audio Recording" as an accommodation, this option allows students to record class lectures using the device of their choice including some of the tools listed above. This is a good option if a student utilizes a specific recording app or program that they want to continue using, and allows faculty to know that you are approved to audio record in class.
For all notetaking support accommodations (except peer notetaking) students are required to have a signed audio recording agreement on file. You can find the audio recording agreement on our website. More information on the limitations of the audio recording accommodation and using notetaking tools that involve audio recording can be found in this helpful guide.