Students approved for audio recording of lectures as an accommodation are granted this right under federal and state law to ensure equal access to classroom instruction. This accommodation supports students whose disabilities impact their ability to take, or process notes effectively.
Student Responsibilities
Students granted permission to audio record class lectures must agree to the following terms:
Personal Academic Use Only
- Recordings are for the student’s personal use in studying and preparing for class. They may not be used for any other purpose.
No Distribution
- Recordings may not be shared, distributed, or published—electronically or otherwise. This includes (but is not limited to) posting to social media, file-sharing platforms, websites, or sharing with other individuals or organizations, including journalists.
Academic Integrity and Copyright
- Recordings are considered academic materials. Use of any content from recordings must comply with ÂÌñÉç’s academic conduct policies and federal copyright law (see: ).
Timely Deletion
- All recordings must be permanently deleted in all formats within 10 days after the course ends.
Consequences of Misuse
- Violating this policy may result in revocation of recording privileges and may be treated as a violation of ÂÌñÉç’s Code of Student Conduct.
Sensitive Classroom Content and Self-Disclosure
In courses that involve sensitive, confidential, or highly personal discussions, faculty may express concern that recording could discourage student participation or compromise privacy. However, if such content is deemed inappropriate for recording, it is equally inappropriate for any form of note-taking. In these cases, instructors may make a general announcement instructing all students, regardless of accommodations, to pause note-taking and recording.
Faculty Rights and Student Accommodations
Faculty may have concerns about classroom recordings relating to privacy or intellectual property. However:
- Federal disability law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, guarantees students the right to reasonable accommodations, including audio recording.
- These concerns do not override a student's legal right to access course content through approved accommodations.
See guidance from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights:
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Also see:
🔗&²Ô²ú²õ±è; – This law restricts unauthorized recording but explicitly allows accommodations for students with disabilities.
For additional questions or support, please contact ÂÌñÉç’s Disability Services Office at accessibility@oxy.edu.