Notetaking Accommodations Procedures and Tutorial

What is Notetaking Support?

Notetaking Accommodations are approved when the student experiences a barrier to taking their own notes during class. In most cases, Notetaking Accommodations are intended to supplement a student's own notetaking efforts and fill in any gaps in their notes.

Notetaking Accommodations

Depending on the barriers a student experiences, Notetaking Accommodations may include: ​

• Notetaking Software: ARS and SDRC contract with a professional notetaking service called Messenger Pigeon (MP) to provide Notetaking Services. Messenger Pigeon is a lecture capture and transcription platform designed to support accessible learning and inclusive teaching. It empowers students—especially those with disabilities or learning differences—to record lectures, access transcripts, and review course material through a variety of multimodal tools.
• Peer Notetaking Services: Students with this accommodation are eligible for a copy of class notes. ARS uses peer notetakers to provide this accommodation. Student's upload lecture notes to ARS Online Services within 24-48 hours.​
• Notetaking Supports: Accommodations intended to help student take their own notes, such as permission to record lectures or use a laptop to take notes in class.

Process to Use Notetaking Software Accommodation

1. Student submits an Accommodation Request through the ARS Online Portal and selects Notetaking Software for each class in which it is needed.
2. Student signs the audio recording agreement every year through the ARS Online Portal
3. Student will receive a welcome email with their username and password, about a week before classes start or within 3 business days of requesting the accommodation (if approved after the term has started).
4. Students can download the Messenger Pigeon App or use the desktop version on their Mac or Windows laptop. The app offers the easiest option to record lectures.
   1. Download app for iOS or Android device.
   2. Login using the username and password located in the welcome email from Messenger Pigeon.
5. Student audio records the lecture to supplement their own notetaking
6. Audio recording is saved to a cloud in the Messenger Pigeon App.
7. If a student needs summarized notes for the lecture, students must upload their recording and supporting materials to MP.
   1. Upload directly through the MP App OR Upload to MP via their webpage on a computer
8. Students will receive a set of notes to their Pomona Inbox, within 1-2 days

Process to Use Peer Notetaking

1. Student submits an accommodation request through ARS Online Services, selecting Peer Notetaking Services for each class in which this accommodation is needed. ​
2. The Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) is automatically emailed to the corresponding. In the FNL are instructions on how Faculty can share an announcement to class.​
3. Faculty will make an announcement to class asking for any available peer notetakers to contact SDRC​.
4. SDRC will also contact the class via class roster to locate a notetaker. ​
5. Once a notetaker is identified, SDRC will reach out to student to provide access to notes via Box application. ​
6. Notetakers must meet with Jenny Kimbell (DOS) to complete HR paperwork and payroll onboarding. (Not completing HR paperwork with Jenny in a timely manner will delay payment to notetaker). ​
7. If there are any issues or questions about the notes to contact SDRC at sdrc@claremont.edu.