Priority Course Registration
When there is an access barrier related to a disability that can be resolved through an earlier registration time, priority registration may be arranged. Examples may be related to a health or medication condition that impacts the time of day a student may be able to attend classes. Students are responsible for seeing their academic advisor, planning for appropriate classes, and registering after the assigned registration time.
Course Notes Accommodations
Carleton students interested in receiving accommodations through Disability Services must first meet with our professional staff and submit a request and medical documentation through the Accommodate system. This accommodation is designed to give students access to classroom lecture content. This access may be achieved in several ways.
One common method is through audio recording lectures. Disability Services and ITS collaborate in providing Smartpens, which allow students to take notes while simultaneously recording classroom lectures or discussions. Disability Services can also provide a license for the Sonocent Audio Notetaker.
If audio recording and Smartpen technology do not provide the access needed, you may request for Disability Services to attempt to recruit a personal note-taker who provides their notes as a supplement to your own notes. To obtain a note-taker, you must request the course notes accommodation in Accommodate for each course in which you would like us to attempt to recruit a note-taker. If we are unable to locate a note-taker for your class, and having course notes is essential to your ability to pass your course, please contact us to explore additional options.
It may be helpful to improve your own note-taking ability, since note-takers’ notes are often imperfect. It may be as simple as using a laptop or tablet to take notes. Carleton’s Academic Support Center provides academic coaching in which students can work one-on-one to develop note-taking skills or other important academic skills.
Alternative Formats
Alternate text formats are also referred as “alternative media”.
Disability Services assists qualified students in obtaining alternate formats for textbooks and other course reading materials.
Alternate reading formats can be produced as audio (“talking books”), Braille, enlarged print, or electronic text (e-text). E-text and digital text often refers to any text that can be read electronically in a computer environment with software programs such as JAWS or Dolphin or using listening equipment such as MP3 players.
External Services
Learning Ally is a non-profit organization that produces audiobooks of textbooks performed by human volunteers. Disability Services can offer eligible students a membership at no cost to them. Once acquired, these audiobooks can be listened to through a smartphone, tablet, PC, or Mac.
Bookshare is a non-profit organization with a large collection of book titles already in digital format. Disability Services can provide eligible students with a free membership when a publisher decides to distribute their E-text through the Bookshare library.