How to ask your professor or disability office for a recording accommodation

Who can ask for a recording accommodation?

Any student whose disability makes it harder to take in or keep up with a spoken lecture. Recording is one of the most common accommodations, and it is approved for many different reasons, including:

• ADHD and other conditions that affect attention or working memory
• Dyslexia and other learning disabilities, or slow processing or writing speed
• Being deaf or hard of hearing, alongside captioning or interpreting
• Low vision, or physical disabilities that make handwriting or typing difficult
• Chronic illness, pain or fatigue that affects concentration or attendance
• Anxiety and other mental health conditions
• Concussion and other temporary conditions, at many schools

You don’t need to be sure you qualify before you ask. Disability offices see these requests every week, and a first conversation is how you find out.

Should you ask your professor or the disability office first?

In most cases, the disability office. A formal accommodation is documented, applies to every class, carries over to future terms, and doesn’t depend on each professor’s goodwill. In the US, for example, the regulations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act say colleges can’t apply rules like a ban on recording devices in ways that limit the participation of students with disabilities. In the UK, universities must make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. The disability office is how those protections reach you.

Asking a professor directly makes sense when you need it quickly for one class, when your need is temporary, or when you’d rather not go through a formal process. Many professors say yes to a polite request. Just know that an informal yes covers only that class and can be withdrawn.

You can do both: ask the professor for the first week or two while the formal request is processed. Template 3 below is written for that.

How does the disability office process usually work?

The names differ (Disability Services, Accessibility Resources, Student Accessibility Services, Disability Advisory Service), but the steps are similar almost everywhere.

1. Find the office on your school’s website and register, usually with an online form.
2. Share documentation if they ask for it, such as a letter from a doctor or psychologist, or an earlier plan from school. Many offices will meet with you before your paperwork is complete.
3. Meet with an advisor. You talk about how your disability affects lectures and what would help. Ask for recording by name.
4. Receive an accommodation letter. It lists what you are approved for, usually without naming your diagnosis.
5. Sign a recording agreement if your school uses one.
6. Send the letter to your professors each term, sometimes through an online portal and sometimes by email.

What should you say in the email?

Keep it short, specific and polite. Say what you are asking for, which classes it covers, and what you will do with the recordings. You don’t need to explain your diagnosis to a professor, and in most places you don’t have to. Copy the template that fits, then fill in the brackets.

Template 1: to the disability services office

Subject: Request for lecture recording accommodation

Hello,

I am a [year] student in [program], student ID [number]. I would like to request an accommodation to record lectures for my own study.

Because of [a disability / a condition] that affects my [attention, processing speed, hearing, writing, etc.], it is hard for me to follow and take notes on spoken lectures in real time. Recording would let me review lectures afterwards and fill gaps in my notes.

This term I am taking [course codes]. I can share documentation from [doctor, psychologist, earlier school plan], and I am happy to meet whenever suits you.

Could you let me know the next steps and how long approval usually takes?

Thank you,
[Name]
[Email and phone]

Template 2: to a professor, with your accommodation letter

Subject: Accommodation letter for [course code]

Dear Professor [Last name],

I am in your [course code, section] class. I have attached my accommodation letter from [office name], which includes recording lectures.

I will record audio only, for my own study. I won't share or post the recordings, and I will delete them at the end of the term. If there are discussions you would prefer not to be recorded, just let me know and I will pause.

I'm happy to talk about any of this in office hours.

Thank you,
[Name]

Template 3: an informal request to a professor

Subject: Recording lectures in [course code]

Dear Professor [Last name],

I'm in your [course code, section] class. Would it be all right for me to make an audio recording of lectures for my own study? I find it hard to keep up with notes in real time, and listening back helps me understand the material. [Optional: I've applied for a formal accommodation with [office name] and expect a letter soon.]

The recordings would be only for me. I won't share or post them, and I'll delete them at the end of the term. I'm also glad to pause during any discussion you'd prefer not to be recorded.

Thank you for considering it,
[Name]

What if your professor says no?

If recording is an approved accommodation, contact your disability office straight away and forward them the reply. Don’t argue it out with the professor yourself. In many places an instructor can’t simply refuse an approved accommodation, and the office handles these conversations all the time. Sometimes the answer is an alternative that meets the same need, like a note-taker, the professor’s own lecture capture or slides shared in advance.

If you asked informally, ask what would work instead, and mention any concerns you can address, such as signing an agreement or pausing during discussions. If you still need recording, that’s a good reason to start the formal process.

What does a recording agreement usually include?

Many schools ask students to sign one. Expect some version of these promises:

• Recordings are for your own personal study only.
• You won’t share, post, sell or publish them, or give them to other students, unless the school allows it.
• You will delete them at the end of the term or course.
• You will pause recording when asked, such as during personal discussions among classmates.
• Breaking the agreement can be treated as a conduct issue.

These are easy to keep if your recording tool keeps lectures private and lets you delete audio without losing your notes.

What other accommodations work well with recording?

• Seating near the front, which also makes your recordings clearer.
• Slides or notes in advance, so you can follow along instead of copying.
• A note-taker or copies of a classmate’s notes.
• Captioning (CART) or sign language interpreting, if you are deaf or hard of hearing. A personal recording app is a useful extra, but it doesn’t replace these services.
• Extra time on exams and breaks, if your disability also affects timed work.