What are Inclusive and Equitable Access Programs?

Exact details may vary, but they generally work like this: 

• Typically, students are auto enrolled in the program at the course, departmental, or institutional level. Students get access to digital course materials on or before the first day of class. Typically, flat rate pricing is applied at the program level and per person pricing at the course level.

• Digital content is usually linked in the campus learning management system (LMS).  The digital and print content provided through these programs is most commonly leased. Students may have the option to purchase the content at the end of the course for an additional fee.

• Access for enrolled students is free during a brief opt-out period at the beginning of the course. If students opt out of buying access to the content by the deadline, their access disappears. If they don’t opt out, access continues and they are automatically charged for the content. Because opt-out rates tend to be low, publishers say they can afford to offer volume discounts. 

• Some publishers advertise discounts up to 80%, but there is little pricing transparency, so this is difficult to measure. Students can still pay $100 or more for temporary access to content, which may be a discount from the new print hardcover edition, but less significant when compared to purchasing the digital version of the same book.  Publishers control the price increases of these resources, so the cost of the discounted materials will rise as the publishers increase their base books costs. 

• Programs collect a great deal of student data, which may include: personally identifiable information, technical information, and transactional information based on their uses of the content.  Students may not have options to control the collection or use of their digital identities.