Anoka-Ramsey Community College has implemented Genio Notes as an accommodation for their students, and Heather kindly shared the reasons behind their decision to choose Genio Notes. She also provided some useful tips on how to make the most of this accommodation.
What do you use Genio Notes for?
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) uses Genio Notes as an official accommodation for students who qualify for note taking accommodations.
What was the motivation for using Genio Notes?
It was an easy universal tool that could assist our students who experience challenges with taking notes for a variety of reasons.
Note taking is a skill that takes time to develop and can be difficult if students have never been taught.
Genio Notes allows students to combine note taking and lecture recording which was the greatest feature of the product. This removes the barrier of choosing between taking notes and listening to retain important information.
How have your students responded to the accommodation?
Our students have found the product to be easy to use while removing the stress of overall note taking.
The recording is the biggest highlight - being able to replay lecture content allows them to process the information at greater levels.
Students have immediate access to lecture content instead of waiting for paper copies of volunteer notes from our office.
Additionally, the availability of transcripts provides students with another valuable tool for reviewing class information.
As a result, we have witnessed a rise in the utilization of Genio Notes among students, with many expressing interest in the product after hearing positive feedback.
“Genio Notes helped my stress go noticeably down because I wasn't worried in class as I had the option to go back later. This helped me feel a lot more confident and helped me do a decent amount better than I otherwise would have.”
Healthcare Student, Anoka-Ramsey Community College
Do you have any recommendations for institutions looking to improve accessibility on campus?
My overall recommendation would be to use tools like Genio Notes that combine technology and research based strategies to improve students’ experiences.
Look into ways to incorporate Universal Design for Learning and accessibility will follow due to the equity already built in.
Be prepared for student input/feedback because that is how true accessibility begins and continues to grow.
Remember accessibility is not linear and it’s okay always to be on a path of improvement/discovery.
How do you feel about implementing Genio Notes institution wide?
"I love the idea because it allows colleges to be equitable regardless of whether a student is working with an access office."
It creates the opportunity for students to discover what tools work best for their learning preference.
Students also learn about tools they were not aware of when they are available universally. This improves a student’s chances of achieving the academic goals they have set for themselves.
How do you work with faculty to achieve your goals?
We have built a relationship with faculty that consists of an ongoing understanding, collaboration, and progress.
Our focus together is on how we can best support our students at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
Anything else you would like other people to know?
When using Genio Notes it's important to ensure that your team is comfortable with it before introducing it to students, as they will be more at ease with the product if they have already been introduced to it.
Overall, have an equitable environment because then those students who have the right to choose not to declare their disabilities will feel supported and empowered at your institution.
Missed part one of this series?
If you'd like to learn more about Heather and why her role plays a crucial part in being a voice for underrepresented students, check it out below.
