Peer Notetakers play a Valuable Role at Portland Community College

Students who are recruited by Disability Services to share notes with classmates are eligible to receive a Thank You gift at the end of the term. Gift Certificates in the amount of $25 per credit (prorated for partial terms) are available and can be used at the bookstore or to help offset tuition charges.

Here's how the process works

  1. The student who is eligible to receive notes works with Disability Services and gets a copy of the notetaker recruitment flyer
  2. The instructor reads the recruitment announcement to the class (unless the student says they want to recruit on their own)
  3. The student who is going to be receiving notes meets with potential peer notetakers after class is over and:
    1. Verifies that the peer notes will be helpful (handwriting, organization, format, etc look good)
    2. Gives the flyer to the peer notetaker who fills in his or her information and returns the flyer to Disability Services
  4. Peer notetakers take and share notes all term
  5. Disability Services provides a Thank You gift at the end of the term for peer notetakers

Disability Services can provide carbonless paper or access to a photocopier as needed

NCR (“no carbon required”) notepaper is available in packs of twenty sheets. Students may get packets from the following locations:

Cascade Campus:
Packs may be obtained from the Advising and Counseling Front Desk (SSB 150) or a disability services counselor.
Rock Creek Campus:
Packs may be obtained from the Counseling Front Desk (9/118) or a disability services counselor.
Southeast Center:
Packs may be obtained from the Counseling Front Desk (Mt. Tabor Hall 152) or a disability services counselor.
Sylvania Campus: 
Packs are available in the DS Test Accommodation Services Room (ST 228).

You and your classmate may choose to use a free photocopy machine available at most campuses. Contact the DS District Coordinator for details about this notetaking option. Students receiving this accommodation may only copy lecture notes (no books, class assignments, or personal work), they must be present when copies are made, and they must complete the information on the clipboard each time copies are made.

Roles

Responsibilities
Disability Services
  • Verifying student eligibility for notetaking as an academic accommodation
  • Supplying carbonless paper, access to a photocopier, access to tools likeLliveScribe orAlphasmarts, etc
  • Providing a thank you gift or other incentive as needed to ensure participation
  • Working to troubleshoot any logistical challenges along the way
Students who are eligible to receive notes
  • Initiating the process by notifying faculty and/or recruiting their own notetaker
  • Meeting with the peer notetakers who come forward to verify the match is good
  • Communicating with Disability Services if there are complications or challenges
Students who are serving as peer notetakers
    • Responding to the recruitment process
    • Providing contact information and signing agreement on recruitment flyer
    • Taking and sharing notes throughout the term
Instructors
  • Reading the announcement at least once per class session (or at start and close) until a notetaker is found
  • Providing the student with any instructor generated lecture notes that are available during the window in which a volunteer is being recruited
  • Communicating with Disability Services as needed to ensure good outcomes