A Dictaphone – Recording Audio 

Cost: The cost varies depending on the make and model of the Dictaphone Device. Platforms: Dictaphone apps are in the Google and Apple App Stores.

Dictaphone are electronic devices that have been issued to people with disabilities for many years. They are useful for recording the audio of lectures and meetings. 

Most useful for: If you find it challenging to listen and take notes at the same time then it may be useful to record the session / lecture with a Dictaphone. Afterwards you can review the recording and fill gaps in your notes by listening to the audio. Also, useful if you have memory issues and need to record whole or parts of sessions or lecturers. 

Its key features are: 

• Recording audio for sessions / lectures that you can refer to later to supplement your notes. 

• The recordings in your Dictaphone need to be given logical names – create a naming convention that works for you such as ‘Biochemistry_Semester 1_Week3’.  

• Have Folders for each class/ meeting and fill each folder with the appropriately names audio files-this makes the recordings easy to access later. 

• Transfer the recordings regularly from your Dictaphone to a secure location on your laptop/desktop or cloud storage. 

• Some Dictaphone allow for headphones to be plugged in so this can be useful to listen back to audio content as you walk or on the bus.  

Our Top Tips: 

• Please make sure you have the appropriate permissions to record audio. Be mindful not to share the audio files too unless you have permission. 
• Consider where you are sitting when using the Dictaphone. Try to sit as near to the key speaker as possible to get the maximum quality recording. 

Demo of one type of Dictaphone in Action 

Video source: SpLD YouTube channel 

Go to the Rev.com Website for Recording tips> 

Get More Advice:  

• If you are a student in Higher Education, speak to your Assistive Technology Officer or Disability Officer /Learning Support Officer.  

• If you are a Student in the FET/ETB then it may be possible to speak to an Educational Needs Coordinator, Learning Support Coordinator, Student Access Officer, Student Support Coordinator or a Disability Support Officer for more information about assistive technology.  

• If you are an Employee and are interested in this technology then speak to your Disability Liaison Officer (public service) or your Line Manager to start the conversation. 

Submit an AT Hive write up

Submit an AT suggestion to our Hive.