Approximately four months after the Association of American Publishers helped to defeat a plan by the Department of Education to switch inclusive access programs for college students from an opt-out to opt-in model, thereby threatening the programs’ viability, the AAP has released a report detailing the positive impact of inclusive access.
The report, Course Materials in Higher Education: How Affordable Access Programs Save Students Money and Produce Positive Learning Outcomes, was written by Tyton Partners and demonstrates how the programs have proved to be a win-win-win for students, colleges, and educational publishers.
The models, which go by several names, including inclusive access, equitable access, and now affordable access, offer students a discounted price on all course materials bought at the beginning of a semester and paid for as part of tuition or another fee. The DoE had been considering switching the model from opt-out to opt-in, a change opposed by many stakeholders, including publishers who argued that without a large enough base to buy the IA materials, educational companies couldn’t afford to offer the discounts that come with IA models.
Interviews with administrators found that top reasons for embracing IA and EA models are reducing costs for students and ensuring day-one access.
According to the report, students participating in IA programs save an average of 36% per class, a figure that translates into total savings of more than $470 million for the students enrolled in affordable access programs at the 1,088 institutions analyzed. (The data is drawn from 1,088 U.S.-based institutions that work with Barnes & Noble College, Follett, RedShelf, or VitalSource). The report also found that as colleges and other institutions become more familiar with IA programs, they add more courses. On average, colleges offered IA access to 33 courses in the first year, a number that rises to 291 courses after four years.
In looking directly at the opt-out/opt-in question, the report found that 96% of students remained in the IA program, while only 36% used IA when they had to opt-in. And the use of IA programs helps students with their studies, the report shows. Seventy-two percent of students take advantage of the different IA offerings completed a particular course compared to 57% of students who bought materials on an individual basis, the report found.
Since the implementation of regulations that sped up the adoption of IA programs, the offerings “have had a significant and positive impact on publishers’ and institutions’ ability to provide course materials at affordable prices,” the report found. “Prior to these regulations, textbook prices were rising steadily—and more rapidly than inflation. Since the rule went into effect on July 1, 2016, prices have been stable, with a nearly negligible increase of 0.3% compared to overall inflation of 3.2%.”
In a statement, AAP president and CEO Maria pallante said, “We are proud of the extraordinary commitment of private sector publishers to deliver high-quality course materials at reduced costs, a reflection of their expertise and innovations in the education-technology space.”
