Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Rutgers hires note-takers for disabled
By Michael Huang
Daily Targum (Rutgers)
02/28/2006

(U-WIRE) NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Students with disabilities often face difficulty in getting to class, and the office of disability services employs classmates as note-takers.

"We used to hire note-takers to go to class and take notes for students who were eligible for this service." said Director of the Office of Disability Services Gregory Moorehead. "However, we now hire students who are already enrolled in those courses to provide such services."

The change in policy does not add bodies to the classroom, he said.

"This new practice minimizes concerns about attendance [since] a student already enrolled in the class has to go to class and take notes anyway," Moorehead said. "For all you know, you could be in a class right now where a note-taker is taking notes for him/herself, as well as another student."

The service is one offered to about 600 students at the New Brunswick/Piscataway campus are served by disability support services, Moorehead said.

From these 600 students, 115 students enrolled in the fall of 2005 and were approved for accommodations at the University.

A student must provide documents that indicate the existence of a disability that affects major life activities in order to receive accommodations.

"Because our standards and procedures for requesting accommodations are very clear, very few students who commence this process are not approved for accommodations," Moorehead said.

Students with disabilities live on every campus in New Brunswick/Piscataway and have the same rights as any other student, said Moorehead.

The university is responsible for changing policies and procedures to cater to their needs and doing so in a way that allows the student to be independent while at the same time enjoying college life.

"Some of the more commonly approved accommodations include extended time for exams, reduced distraction environment for exams, tape recorders to record lectures and books in alternate format," Moorehead said.

Help with academics isn't the only service that the disability support services provide aid. They also work with the transportation department and housing departments, to further accommodate students.

"Students who require special housing, due to their disability, follow the same procedure as students requesting other accommodations. If the documentation supports the request for a special housing arrangement — such as a single room or room in a certain location - then such accommodations are provided," Moorehead said. "Keep in mind that because of certain disabilities, it may not always be practical."

In order to accommodate the wide range of disabilities students may have, the university is constantly adjusting.

"For clarification, the overwhelming majority of our students have 'hidden disabilities.' Very few of the students we serve have 'noticeable disabilities,'" Moorehead said.

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