
Get the facts about Equitable Access programs.
“Equitable Access” is also known as Inclusive Access, a sales model that adds the cost of textbooks into students’ tuition and fees.
While Inclusive/Equitable Access programs were intended to address high textbook costs, they have created challenges for students and faculty. The higher education community deserves the facts.
What is Equitable Access?
Equitable Access is a form of Inclusive Access, a sales model for college textbooks that automatically bills the cost to students’ tuition and fees. Equitable Access programs typically charge students a fixed cost per credit hour, while Inclusive Access may charge students the cost of their individual materials. Under both models, students have a period to “opt out” before they are billed, and after the end of the course, students typically lose access to the content. These programs are widely promoted by major publishing and bookstore companies. Learn more.
Does Equitable Access save students money?
Despite the names “Inclusive” and “Equitable,” the advertised savings of these programs not always what they seem. Automatic textbook billing may save money for students who normally buy full-price print textbooks, but it can cost other students more. By adding costs to a tuition and fee bill, these programs makes it harder for students to opt-out and save on used books, print rentals, or borrowed copies. Also, marketing materials often advertise discounts much higher than the fine print of many vendor contracts. Learn more.

Decide for yourself.
Raising awareness of the facts.
The cost of college textbooks has increased sharply over the last several decades, which has harmed student access and success. Everyone agrees that this is a problem. As higher education leaders consider new textbook sales models that advertise lower costs, the campus community deserves to fully understand how these models impact students and faculty. InclusiveAccess.org is a community-driven initiative to raise awareness about the facts about automatic textbook billing. Learn more by selecting your role below.

Is automatic textbook billing equitable? Decide for yourself.
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