The Inclusive Access Debate

Inclusive access is an automatic textbook billing sales model. Supposedly, it addresses high textbook costs, but “the advertised savings are not always what they seem” (SPARC).

Students may have a hard time opting out, and it is sometimes impossible, especially when assignments are integrated into the book

Inclusive access textbooks are typically cheaper than a new print textbook, but not cheaper than a regular digital textbook. It also doesn’t give students options like buying used books, renting, or sharing.

Students are typically not able to use their inclusive access textbooks after they finish the course, meaning, even though they are paying a lot for each book, they can only read it for a few months.

Speaking from personal experience, it also seems like Inclusive Access is designed in way that benefits off students not knowing that there are other (better) options. If your instructor assigns an Inclusive Access textbook as The Textbook, it is intimidating to argue with the authority of the instructor and of the official textbook. If your homework for a course is included in an Inclusive Access textbook, it feels impossible to try to argue otherwise. What do you mean students can have a say in which course materials they pay for to learn from? It doesn’t seem that way from where were standing.

One resource we discovered in learning about OER and researching alternatives to Inclusive Access is InclusiveAccess.org, a website that dedicates itself to getting the facts. They created a list of ten questions for students to ask their universities and teachers about Inclusive Access.

We love this model because we have learned that asking questions is where change starts. To interrogate Inclusive Access does not necessarily need to raise awareness of its consequences, it simply starts the journey in wondering if something better could be out there.

Our work in the library has given us the answer: something better is out there and we believe that it is OERs!