Immediate Access Programs

IMMEDIATE/INCLUSIVE ACCESS

First Day access for all students at no charge

Immediate Access or Inclusive Access (I.A.) programs are class-by-class programs that provide all enrolled students access to the digitally-delivered traditional major publisher course materials FREE on or before the first day of class until the add/drop date.

Titles are dramatically discounted by the publishers when in an I.A. program and are the lowest prices available for the content that faculty prefer. Jointly negotiated and delivered by faculty, departments, publishers, providers, and campus stores, I.A. offers a period (usually until add/drop date) of free access to LMS digitally delivered commercial learning content to enrolled students. Prior to the add/drop deadline, students receive multiple communications via emails and in person from faculty to alert them to the date by which they may easily opt out online and not purchase the materials if they so choose. Post I.A. surveys on our campuses show that over 97% of student do not opt out by choice and appreciate the opportunity to learn via robust interactive materials before paying for them.

All CSU campus bookstores have programs in place to deliver I.A. including First Day, IncludED, VitalSource, Verba, RedShelf and more.

Many CSU students cannot purchase all of their course materials before classes start. They purchase weekly and incrementally as their income allows. I.A. gives them time to pay without losing important access in the first weeks. Faculty choose or retain their preferred content without being forced to change content or pedagogy.


All students start the class on equal terms

  • No one misses early assignments due to inability to pay.
  • Students make the choice of whether to purchase the digital content or opt out and purchase their course materials elsewhere.
  • Digital textbooks in these programs may be discounted 60% percent or more from print rental and print purchase price or discounted up to 25%-60% from the already low digital rental price.
  • I.A. programs require campus bookstores, faculty, and publishers to work together to deliver the right course materials at the best prices.

SDSU logo

The CSU is reducing publisher course materials costs with student access to the materials on the first day of class.

  • SDSU’s Aztec Shops were the CSU innovators in 2016 with the first I.A. programs and are now saving students over $8.4 million per year on their campus.
  • Every CSU campus bookstore now has an I.A. program available for faculty and departments. Systemwide, CSU I.A. programs saved students over $26 million dollars in the 2021-22 academic year.

Get more information on the SDSU Immediate Access Program here This link will take you to an external website in a new tab..


Contact your campus store or course materials manager for more information on I.A. programs