Facts about Inclusive Access for college administrators.

Understand how Inclusive Access can impact your institution.

Institutions today are seeking ways to keep students engaged and make education more affordable. Some are turning to “Inclusive Access,” also known as automatic textbook billing, a college textbook sales model that adds the cost of course materials into students’ tuition and fees.

While these programs advertise faster access and convenience, they also create an unfair situation for students: they are charged upfront without their explicit consent and given too little time to meaningfully shop for alternatives. The first few weeks of a busy semester may not provide enough time for students to make well-informed decisions about how to purchase their required course materials.

Inclusive Access prices can also be higher than what students could find elsewhere, particularly if they had the option to buy secondhand copies or use free OER, but they don’t have a good opportunity to consider the price or format—it’s already been chosen for them.

College Textbook Prices vs. Inflation, 2003-2023

The cost of college textbooks has increased sharply over the last several decades. While Inclusive Access is intended to address high textbook prices in the short term, many contracts between bookstores and institutions fail to include limits on pricing, leaving students vulnerable to rising costs over time.

 

Graph represents the percent increase to prices over time. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index. Updated January 11, 2024.

Having doubts about Inclusive Access? Here’s what you can do next:

Let's work together toward solutions.

InclusiveAccess.org was created to promote awareness of the challenges around Inclusive Access. We know that the conversation cannot end there. We invite you to join a working group of administrators who have concerns about this model and want to identify better practices for contracting, procurement, and implementation. Complete this form to let us know you’re interested, and we’ll follow up, or reach out to us at contact@inclusiveaccess.org.

 

10 Questions Administrators Should Ask About Inclusive Access

  1. What methodology is used to calculate the advertised student savings? Are there citations to back it up?

  2. How does the cost of Inclusive Access compare to what students actually spend?

  3. How do base Inclusive Access prices compare to the digital prices advertised on the publisher’s websites?

  4. Are there any limits on how much base Inclusive Access prices could increase in the future?

  5. How are vendors fulfilling their obligation to inform faculty about textbook prices under 20 USC §1015b?

  6. Can the program be implemented on an opt-in basis for students? If not, why not?

  7. If students exercise their right to opt out, will they be able to purchase the same materials from other sources?

  8. Is it possible for our library to purchase a copy of the material to put on reserve? If not, why not?

  9. How long do students have access to Inclusive Access materials? Are there any limits on print copies?

  10. What data do Inclusive Access materials collect from our campus, and how is it used?

Explore the Facts