Why are notetakers particularly useful for certain papers or subjects?

Even if a student usually relies on New Zealand Sign Language for communication, notetakers (with or without a Sign Language interpreter) can be very useful for some subjects. In courses which use a lot of equations or complex vocabulary, notetakers can record the information for the student so that they do not miss the spelling of important words or the way to write certain equations.

Subjects which have complex equations may include physics, maths, and computer science. Subjects which have difficult vocabulary may include biological sciences, law, and languages.

Electronic versus manual notetaking

Electronic notetakers use laptops or other electronic devices to record notes. Manual notetakers use a standard pen and paper. Each style of notetaking can be advantageous in different situations.

Generally, electronic notetakers are significantly faster and can therefore record more information for the student. The added word-processing features mean that notes are legible, and can be spell-checked and clearly formatted. Electronic notetaking does, however, rely on the availability of at least one (and sometimes two) laptops.

Manual notetaking is advantageous in some situations. In classes which involve many equations and diagrams, a manual notetaker can record these with ease. If the electronic notetaker has the right equipment and skill then they can also record the diagrams. However, often the best option for these complex classes is to have both a manual notetaker (who records all of the equations and diagrams) and an electronic notetaker (who records all of the content) to give the student the best information.

What does the notetaker do?

Essentially, the notetaker's task is to:

     • record information presented by the lecturer/tutor

     • record class discussion

     • record information written on the board

     • record other information such as what is written on the board, on the overhead projector or on powerpoint, when this information is not otherwise being made available to the student.

Notetaking is much more than a lecturer or tutor handing out an outline of what they will cover during a lesson. Notetakers should record a wide range of content provided during the lesson including:

     • subject information

     • context

     • questions and answers

     • references 

     • discussion of examples

     • assignment information

     • test dates

     • class discussion

Why is class discussion included?

It is important for the notetaker to record class discussion as this is a valuable source of learning which may be missed by Deaf and hearing impaired students.

Even if a Deaf or hearing impaired student can use their residual hearing well, classroom discussions are difficult to follow. Often a number of students will speak at once. These students may be sitting behind the Deaf or hearing impaired student, who has to turn and locate the speaker and then lip-read them. This takes time, so the Deaf or hearing impaired student may miss important information.

The notetaker should write down all pertinent discussion points to ensure the Deaf or hearing impaired student has access to the same information as the hearing students.

Who is involved in notetaking?

A number of people are involved in the notetaking process:

     • notetaker 

     • Deaf or hearing impaired student

     • lecturer or tutor

     • Disability Coordinator

Each has an important role to play and has various responsibilities in the notetaking process. Each person needs to be fully aware of their own roles and responsibilities as well as those of others involved in the notetaking process.

Role of the notetaker

The notetaker should:

     • be on time for all lessons

     • negotiate with the lecturer/tutor and the student about where to sit in the class 

     • write notes using a format that is easy for the student to follow and study

     • accurately record what the lecturer/tutor says

     • record class discussion that occurs

     • review the notes after the lesson

     • provide each student with a set of notes after the lesson at a predetermined time 

The notetaker should not: 

      • take notes in lessons if the Deaf/hearing impaired student is absent, unless instructed otherwise

     •  join in any class activities or discussion

Role of the Deaf or hearing impaired student 

The Deaf or hearing impaired student should: 

     • ensure that they collect the notes at a predetermined time after the lesson 

     • use the notes appropriately 

     • provide feedback to the notetaker on the usefulness of the notes and any changes that may be necessary.

Role of the lecturer/tutor

The lecturer/tutor should:

     • provide handouts, photocopies of OHTS, etc. to the notetaker before the lesson 

     • provide feedback to the notetaker on the accuracy of the notes

The lecturer/tutor should not:

     • expect or encourage a notetaker to become involved in the class 

     • expect or encourage the notetaker to perform any other duties apart from notetaking

Role of Disability Services staff

The Disability Service Office must be aware of the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the notetaking process.

The disability office should:

     • prepare lecturer/tutors and students for the introduction of the notetaker into the classroom 

     • discuss any difficulties the notetaker has in carrying out their tasks and liaise with institution personnel with regard to these difficulties 

     • provide feedback to the notetaker on the quality of the notes being taken.

Some of the issues the disability office may need to address are: 

     • access to resources such as texts, work booklets etc. for pre-reading and reference 

     • allocation of time to prepare for notetaking and to complete follow-up activities 

     • timetabling details 

     • notetaker training