Fourth year student Heidi Boulter could write you a note - but that's about it. Muscular problems mean she often simply can't take notes during a whole lecture or complete a three-hour exam.
When you are working concurrently on two degrees such as a BA in Classics and a Bachelor of Theology there is a lot of writing to do but even before she got to Otago Heidi was confident the help she needed would be available through DI&S.
"I have alternative arrangements for all my exams. I used to have a writer but I am now able to use a computer."
She has become adept at using voice recognition software such as Dragon and while she could get a note-taker for lectures she prefers to use her own voice recorder and listen to lectures again - an approach that suits her learning style.
Heidi has also had to cope with mental health problems and found DI&S a great source of readily available support. She also mentioned that her departments have been helpful.
"I'm lucky to have nice departments. Both Theology and Classics are small departments and great to work with. They know I work hard and are quite understanding."
Looking ahead, Heidi hopes to finish her BA by the end of the year and will apply for an Honours year in B.Theol.
Students must seek permission to record lectures and if approved they can only record for the purposes of private study or research.