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Interpreting, Scribe & Note-Taker Services

Students with disabilities who find it difficult to translate spoken or visual information, write quickly and/or legibly or have difficulty with multitask attention may receive interpreter services for classes, academic meetings and appointments and college-sponsored activities and programs. Eligibility for these services is determined on an individualized basis.

Interpreting Services

Students and service providers (interpreters) will adhere to the following guidelines regarding tardiness and absences:

  • The service provider will wait ten minutes after the start of a scheduled class or event. If the student requesting services is not in attendance at the end of this waiting period, the service provider may leave.
  • Students who have advance notification of class absences should notify the OAS at least 24 hours before the planned absence. In the case of an emergency or illness, the student should notify the OAS as soon as possible so adjustments in the service provider’s schedule can be made as needed.
  • In the case of student absence without notification, the service provider will wait the required time during the first two classes or events scheduled that day. If the student has not notified the OAS after this time and does not attend the second scheduled class or event for the day, it is assumed that all services requested for that day have been cancelled.
  • Frequent absences or tardiness from the same class without advance notification to the OAS is cause for temporary discontinuation of services for that class. The student will be notified of the discontinuation of service prior to terminating the service. The student must meet with the OAS Director to arrange reinstatement of services.

Scribe and Note-Taker Services

  • If the class notes are made available on Brightspace by the instructor, the accommodation request for scribe/note-taker is considered met by the instructor.
  • The student may be advised to record the lecture to meet the request for a note-taker. To the extent that recording the lecture provides the same information that the rest of the class receives by taking notes, the academic adjustment request is considered met. Digital recorders are considered personal devices. A limited supply of recorders are available for loan through the OAS, on a first-come, first-serve basis.
  • Scribe/Note-taking services are intended to be supplemental to instruction; they are not intended to replace instruction. Students and service providers will adhere to the above attendance guidelines regarding tardiness and absences.
  • Students are expected to adhere to the attendance policies of the instructor while they are receiving scribe/note taking services. Failure to do so may result in discontinuation of services.
  • Students receiving scribe/note taking services may elect to remain anonymous. In this case, the notes are provided to the OAS and the student is responsible for retrieving them from OAS, allowing a reasonable amount of time for OAS to receive them.
  • Issues relating to the services provided by the note taker or the requesting student must be directed to the Director of the OAS.

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