Permission to Audio-Record

In conjunction with the Office of General Counsel (OGC), and Learning Design and Innovation, and as articulated in SAS' ORC entry,

"The office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences and SAS have determined that,

1. Students authorized by SAS to audio-record class sessions as a documented accommodation should be permitted to do so, 
2. There are restrictions on the use of such recordings including the fair-use policy, and
3. Such recordings must be destroyed at the end of the course."

Faculty may want to consider including the following notifications, also established in conjunction with OGC, the office of the Dean of the Faculty, and Learning Design and Innovation, in their syllabi and/or on their Canvas site:

• Recording Notification to Faculty
• Recording Notification to Students

Classroom accommodations are determined through the interactive process by SAS. A nondisabled student does not need to give consent or otherwise have a role to play in determining whether a disabled student's accommodation can be used in a class. With regard to respecting privacy concerns and as a matter of general practice, however, SAS informs a student that class recordings that result from an accommodation must be destroyed at the end of the term. Questions related to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) are considered in an analysis that is distinct from the accommodations analysis, and we endeavor to be in compliance with all of the laws that relate to classroom accommodations and FERPA.

SAS may also provide the assistive technology (AT) tools Glean and/or Livescribe Smartpens for disabled students who are approved to audio-record. These and other SAS accommodations may require students to use their laptops, tablets, phones, and/or microphones.

Faculty will receive individualized emails about a student's accommodations or can find a list of all students with accommodations in their classes by logging into SAS' A11y database. Students utilizing permission to audio-record are expected to discuss this with their instructors before recording, as early in the term as possible. Students approved for an audio-recording accommodation must sign each quarter to indicate their agreement with our Fair-Use Policy, which includes, among other terms, that these recordings are for their personal use only and aren't to be shared or distributed.

Very few SAS students qualify for a peer notetaker. This is because most disabled Dartmouth students have developed effective strategies to take notes independently, or they require only minimal additional support to do so (usually in the form of a laptop/tablet to type their notes and/or audio-recording to supplement their notes). 

Taking notes is a very personal skill that requires active engagement, and most individuals find their own notes to be more meaningful and helpful than someone else's notes. In addition, SAS strives to provide accommodations that are necessary for equal access, whereas a peer notetaker often exceeds or does not provide equitable access as technology accommodations such as permission to audio-record. Finally, approving fewer or lower level accommodations that empower a student to take their own notes promotes autonomy and builds confidence in their notetaking and other academic skills. 

SAS recognizes that faculty may be more comfortable with an SAS student being approved for a peer notetaker than recording or other technology. However, especially with the protections that Dartmouth leadership and SAS have put in place and the importance of students receiving their approved, individualized, and necessary accommodations, it is important for faculty to honor audio-recording and other technology accommodations.

If you have lingering questions or concerns about the use of technology accommodations such as audio-recording, please see Faculty FAQ #6-9, email Student Accessibility Services, or call (603) 646-9900.