Getting Started with Inclusive Access (Instructors)

Table of Contents

• Enrolling your course in Inclusive Access

• Setting up Content Access Links

• Knowing Important Dates

What is the Digital Course Materials: Inclusive Access Program?

• Inclusive Access is a program instructors can enroll in to provide students in their participating courses access to digital content (eBooks or courseware). Students will have access via the Learning Management System on the first day of class and their student accounts will be billed at a significantly lower price than MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price).   

• Ohio University runs this program in partnership with participating publishers. Learn more about Inclusive Access.

Enrolling your course in Inclusive Access

By enrolling your course in the Inclusive Access program, your students' accounts will be automatically billed by the Bursar unless they opt out of the program. Please communicate with your students on the first day of class to make sure they understand that they can opt out and that they must make an opt out decision by the last day of the add/drop period for the term.

1. Contact your publisher representative to select or confirm the course material you wish to use in the course. If the content you chose requires a publisher content add-on in the Learning Management System, the representative will explain how to configure your course to use that add-on.   

2. If you do not enter your textbook information into the Textbook System before Priority Registration begins, it will be added for you. If you choose to add your textbook information please enter the Inclusive Access ISBN and price into the comments field and select the below message from the appropriate drop-down menu for your course:

   • “The University has negotiated a special price for a digital copy of this course's required materials through a program with the publisher. The digital copy of the material is listed as Required for this course. You will receive access to digital copies of the materials on the first day of the class. The cost of the materials will be billed automatically to your student account after the deadline to drop the class. After you register, you will receive more information about this program, including an option to opt out of participation. If you would like print copies of the required materials in addition to or instead of the digital copies that will be automatically provided for you, please refer to the Optional material. If you have already purchased the optional textbook for this course, please contact the IT Service Desk, servicedesk@ohio.edu, to discuss your options. ORC (Ohio Revised Code) 5739.01(B)(12) was added to Ohio law 1/1/2014 and dictates that digital delivery of textbooks is subject to Ohio sales tax. The sale of digital textbooks is subject to a 7% sales tax charge.”

   • Note: Select this link to learn more about the Textbook System and Resources

3. Finalize course content access

   • If the course content you selected is delivered through a publisher's platform (McGraw Hill Connect, Pearson MyLab, Cengage WebAssign,  etc.), please work with your publisher representative to configure access in your Learning Management System course prior to the first day of classes.

   • If the course content is a VitalSource e-text, no action is required. 

     • For Blackboard the Digital Course Materials content are and VitalSource Course Dashboard link will be added to your Blackboard course for you.

     • For Canvas the Digital Course Materials Module and VitalSource Course Dashboard link will be added to your Canvas course for you.

   • Note: Regardless of content type, do not delete/remove the Digital Course Materials content area/Module and VitalSource Course Dashboard link, as students must have the option to opt out of digital course materials.  

Knowing Important Dates

Important Inclusive Access Dates for Digital Course Materials (DCM)

Setting up Content Access Links

• Please discuss with your publisher representative whether the course content you selected will be delivered through VitalSource’s eBook reader or the publisher’s platform.

  • Please note: the opt out process uses VitalSource regardless of what content is used in the course.

Get help from OIT

• Visit the Digital Course Materials: Inclusive Access page to create a ticket

Additional resources

• VitalSource Success (help content from VitalSource)

• VitalSource help videos