Note Taking Accommodations for Deaf Students
Note taking is a vital tool that supports full access to information in classrooms, workplaces, internships, and beyond. Many accommodations for deaf people require focused visual attention—whether watching an interpreter, reading captions, or speechreading—making it difficult to take notes at the same time. Providing a trained note taker allows deaf students to stay fully engaged in the moment, knowing they will have a clear and accurate record of key concepts to review later.
Why is Note Taking Such an Important Accommodation?
Deaf people often rely on visual communication, whether through sign language, speechreading, or real-time captioning. This requires consistent attention towards a speaker, interpreter, or screen, making it difficult—if not impossible—to simultaneously take detailed notes. The cognitive demands of sustained concentration over long periods of time can lead to fatigue. Studies have shown that notes lead to better review and studying skills, and provide a great resource for creating outlines or other study tools.
Having access to quality notes benefits deaf students in many ways, including:
Staying Engaged in Learning
With a trained note taker, students can prioritize the content rather than dividing their attention between the instructor, accommodation, and taking notes.
Support Review and Retention
Notes serve as a reference resource for studying, clarifying information, reinforcing learning at their own pace, and preparing for future discussions or tasks.
Supplement Missed Information
Fast-paced lectures, meetings, and group discussions can make it easy to miss details. Well-structured notes ensure critical information is not lost.
Encouraging Autonomy
Access to high-quality notes empowers students to review material independently, reinforcing understanding and supporting long-term success.
Note taking as an accommodation is rooted in civil rights laws the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and is often referred to as an “auxiliary aid.” Although note taking can be a stand-alone accommodation for some people, it should not replace other needed accommodations, such as interpreters and speech-to-text services. Notes capture only a portion of an entire experience and are not sufficient enough for deaf students to participate in classroom activities or discussions in real time.
It is important to note that electronic transcripts created by speech-to-text providers are not considered ‘notes’ and are not intended to be used as such. If a student requests note taking services, the utilization of speech-to-text services is not a reason to deny the request.
Effective Note Taking Services
Effective notes are clear, well-organized, and accurate. It is common for institutions to rely on peer note takers to take notes, however, research shows that untrained note takers often struggle with selecting and structuring important information. Deaf students have reported challenges with illegible or incomplete notes and delays in receiving them when relying on untrained peers. It is best practice to provide some training and guidance to note takers to strengthen the quality of the notes that are produced. Trained note takers can provide better quality notes.
An effective note taker has the following skills:
Strong Organization and Attention to Detail
Can identify key points and structure notes effectively, producing clear, well-organized, and accurate notes.
Reliability and Punctuality
Attends consistently and delivers notes on time.
Knowledge of Effective Techniques
Ideally, a note taker would have some training or knowledge related to effective note taking techniques.
Clear Writing Skills
Uses proper spelling, grammar, and formatting.
Confidentiality and Professionalism
Respects the privacy of the person receiving notes.
Ability to Collaborate
Works in partnership with the deaf person to ensure their needs are met.
Common Note Taking Practices
College campuses utilize many different structures for note taking services. Commonly used practices by include (but are not limited to):
This could be a student worker from the disability services office or an hourly employee hired by the college.
Sometimes they are given a stipend or service-learning credits from the disability services office for their time.
The quality or comprehensiveness of these notes vary widely and some instructors only provide a copy of their PowerPoint slides.
A handful of colleges work with note taking vendors that use technology such as automated speech recognition (ASR) software to produce notes.
While these are common practices, they are not effective in all circumstances. Colleges encounter challenges with these models including not being able to find student note takers or inconsistent/incomplete notes. When deaf students do not have reliable note taking services, they may struggle or miss instructional content when making decisions on whether to prioritize visual access to interpreting or speech-to-text services versus taking notes.
Where Can a Prospective Note Taker Receive Training?
Training in note taking techniques significantly improves the quality and usefulness of notes. Many academic institutions provide general training for students who want to improve their note taking and writing skills. Check with your institution’s writing center to see what kinds of training and resources they may have available.
Additionally, NDC’s free, online Note Taker Training module is designed for peer/student note takers at the high school or college level, and is a self-guided training that defines the role of the note taker and provides note taking strategies that enable student note takers to provide accurate, comprehensive classroom notes for deaf students. The training can be completed in multiple sessions or all at once. When students are confident that they have learned the material, an online quiz evaluates their note taking knowledge. A passing score will earn a certificate of completion, which the student can then print out.
Leveraging Community Partnerships to Provide Note Taking Services
Majority of deaf students focus on sign language interpreting or speech-to-text services to access instructional content and rely on someone to take notes. How do you know if note-taking at your institution is an effective accommodation for your deaf students? Despite note-taking being widely used on college campuses, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Promising Practices for Note Taking Services
Providing effective note taking accommodations is a key practice for serving deaf students in educational settings. Note taking provides a written record of class course content students can refer back to. Implementing several fundamental practices can significantly enhance accessibility and provide deaf students with tools to thrive.
- Establish clear guidelines and policies for note taking accommodation services.
- Will notes be handwritten or digital?
- Can the instructor’s notes be shared as a supplement?
- Will notes cover only lectures, or also small group discussions?
- How and when will notes be shared—immediately after class or within 24 hours?
- What happens if the note taker is absent?
- Establish expectations for the quality of notes provided.
- Schedule periodic check-ins with the student about notes received.
- Regular follow-up throughout the semester is essential to ensure that note taking remains an effective and reliable accommodation. This includes checking in with the deaf student to see if the notes are meeting their needs, addressing any concerns about clarity, organization, or timeliness, and making adjustments as necessary.
- Establish feedback loops for both deaf students and note takers to monitor service provided.
- Disability services staff should also maintain communication with note takers to reinforce expectations and provide additional training or guidance if needed.
Additional Ideas for Note Taking Services
Hire Students
Instead of paying a note taker via a stipend, your office could hire a student hourly employee for note taking services, or this could become a duty for an intern. You could also give service learning credit or community service hours as another option for note takers.
Benefits for the Entire Class
Faculty could ask for peer volunteers to upload/post their notes for the benefit of the entire class. This method was highlighted in a post on CUNY’s Journal of Teaching Disability Studies.
Request Faculty Materials
If peer note takers could not be found, request advance copies of lecture notes and/or PowerPoints from the faculty. Faculty could also design their presentations to contain the same talking points during lecture and/or take more brief pauses during instruction.
Empowering Deaf People Through Access
Establishing a feedback system allows students to monitor the effectiveness of accommodations. Feedback loops create opportunities to report issues early and prevent disruptions in access. Consistent monitoring and open communication provides a smoother learning experience, allowing the deaf student to stay fully engaged in their coursework.
High-quality note taking plays a key role in ensuring that deaf students have the same opportunities to learn, engage, and succeed as their peers. When trained note takers are available, deaf students can fully participate in learning experiences while knowing they have reliable notes to reference later. With the right strategies and support in place, note taking becomes more than just an accommodation—it becomes a tool for empowerment and success.
