Simple. Flexible. Powerful.
Students and institutions are more successful when course materials are affordable, impactful, and accessible on day one.
Program
at a
Glance
Students have the convenience of not having to worry about their books.
Participating students are delivered all required course materials, either physical or digital, prior to the first day of class.
Instructors have the convenience of teaching immediately.
Students come to class prepared, on a level playing field, and ready to learn from instructor-chosen materials on the first day of class.
Administrators have the convenience of building a program that works for all.
Whatever the needs are of the institution as a whole, this program has the flexibility to support you from day one and into the future.
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Cost included in tuition or added to student account
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Easy opt-out and opt-in
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Complete control of cost and revenue
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Support select programs (including dual-enrollment) or the entire institution
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Material ownership, rental, or a combination
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Digital only, digital-first, physical material programs
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Ship to student and ship to campus
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Book return on campus and online
Support
Ready to make the move?
- Together, we identify your equitable access goals
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We tailor your course material selection and delivery experience
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You watch your students succeed
FAQs
What is equitable access?
Equitable Access is a program where students receive all of their required course materials (physical or digital) before the first day of class.
How do students pay for their materials in an equitable access program?
The cost of the books is a low flat fee that is included in their tuition or added on to their bursar account.
How does equitable access benefit students?
Equitable Access programs can be tailored to your students' needs, increasing the beneficial outcomes. Top benefits include:
- Improved learning outcomes by starting class prepared
- Zero out-of-pocket costs
- Total cost of degree programs decrease
- Quality of student experience increases
- Students have the choice to opt out
Is equitable access the same as inclusive access?
Equitable access and inclusive access are similar but are not the same. Inclusive access is a course-by-course content delivery option where students receive discounted digital materials and courseware before the first day of class. Inclusive Access materials can be used in a single course or multiple courses each semester.
How does equitable access work?
With equitable access, faculty adopt course materials through the online portal. We purchase, sort, box, and ship all physical materials to a campus address, home address, or campus pickup location. Students are delivered digital materials automatically through your LMS.
Do all course materials have to be offered digitally or can students have physical books?
Both physical and digital materials are available. The school can choose a digital-only or digital-first approach to save students even more money.
Do students own the course materials or are they rented?
You choose between an ownership, a rental model, or a combination of both. In the ownership model, the student keeps all physical books at the end of the semester. With the rental model, students return physical books at the end of each semester to the Akademos warehouse where we store and use them in subsequent semesters for student orders.
Does equitable access impede on academic freedom?
No, faculty still have full academic freedom. Faculty submit adoptions of their choice as normal. In the event the course material becomes unavailable through the publisher or other various factors, our equitable access team work with the faculty to find a resolution.
Can an equitable access program create an additional revenue stream?
Yes. While we do not offer commission payments in an equitable access program, you have the option to add an operating margin on to the yearly flat fee for materials. In most cases, the margin adds very little to the cost for students while bringing in additional revenue far surpassing the commission received in the traditional student choice model. This revenue stream can be used for anything including - scholarship funds, food pantry donations, capital improvements, technology upgrades, and more.
What if my institution is not ready to go “all in” on equitable access?
If you are not ready to go all in with equitable access, you have the option to implement at your own pace using a “crawl, walk, run” approach. Begin with a smaller program and expand the service to cover all students. Conducting a phase-in by class year approach, beginning with incoming freshmen and expanding to sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the following three years is another option.