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Benefits for Students:

  • Access to digital course materials on the first day of class, so they’re ready to go from Day 1.

  • Financial aid or scholarships can cover the cost of students’ course materials.

  • Studies show improved academic performance with timely access to materials.

Benefits for Faculty:

  • Access to a variety of digital tools to support instruction and student engagement.

  • Less administrative burden—no need to manage course material logistics (including access codes).

FAQs for Students:

How much do IA materials cost?
Prices vary by course and publisher.  You can view the bill for an IA course material in your SLU student account and are tax exempt.

How do I pay for Inclusive Access?
IA charges are added to your student account, similar to tuition, meal plans, and housing. You can pay with financial aid, scholarships, or any normal payment method with the university. Note: if your classes aren’t using Inclusive Access, you’ll order course materials through the Billiken Shop as usual.

What does “opting out” mean?
It means you’re choosing not to participate in the IA program. You’ll need to get the course materials on your own (which may cost more).

How do I opt out of IA?
Watch this short video for a step-by-step guide:
🎥 How to Opt In/Out of Inclusive Access
In short:

  • Log into Canvas

  • Open your course

  • Click the “SLU Inclusive Access” link

  • Select “Want to opt out?” and follow the prompts before the add/drop deadline

Do I need to opt out if I drop the course?
No—if you drop before the add/drop census date, you're automatically opted out and not charged.
⚠️ Dropping after the deadline? You’ll still be charged (unless there are extenuating circumstances that warrant a refund).

What if I opted out by mistake?
No worries. You can opt back in by logging into Canvas and clicking “Opt Into IA Program” in the same area—just be sure to do it before the add/drop deadline.

 

FAQs for Faculty

What is Inclusive Access (IA)?

A partnership between SLU’s course materials provider (Textbook Brokers, or TBB) and select publishers to provide more affordable access to required course materials for all students enrolled in select courses. Students enrolled in courses using IA materials have access to required digital course materials/courseware, at a reduced cost, from the first day of class (in the Canvas site for the course). 

 

In courses using IA, students will see the reduced cost for required course materials charged directly to their SLU student accounts. This means the costs can be covered by financial aid (if applicable), and students do not have to pay out-of-pocket to access the required materials. All students enrolled in courses participating in Inclusive Access have the opportunity to opt out of purchasing course materials through the program (but they will still be expected to obtain required course materials to complete course assignments).

Which courses are eligible for participation in Inclusive Access?

Any SLU instructor who wishes to explore Inclusive Access may contact TBB at billikenshop@textbookbrokers.com. Typically, participation is limited to those courses for which the following criteria apply: 

 

  • Textbook Brokers is able to obtain discounted pricing for the specific publisher courseware/materials required by the instructor/department, AND

  • The required courseware/digital materials are available to be included in the Inclusive Access model, either directly from the publisher or through VitalSource (Textbook Brokers’ external partner that makes IA digital access possible).

    • Why aren’t all courses eligible for Inclusive Access?

    Eligibility depends on publisher, pricing agreements between TBB and the publisher, and other factors that could limit TBB’s ability to include materials in the Inclusive Access model.

    Why does SLU offer Inclusive Access? 

    Inclusive Access can result in more affordable course materials for students. And since charges for IA course materials are applied directly to student accounts, those costs can be covered by financial aid (if applicable), and students do not have to pay out-of-pocket to access those materials. 

     

    Best of all, students in these courses have full access to required digital course materials/courseware within their Canvas course site from the first day of class (or as soon as the instructor links the materials in Canvas), which can be a key factor in student success.

    How does the billing work for students?

    By default, all students in courses with Inclusive Access materials are “opted in,” which means the charge for required course materials will be posted directly to students’ SLU accounts. This approach allows the costs to be covered by financial aid (if applicable). It also means students do not have to pay out-of-pocket for access to required course materials. Students can opt out/in until the University Drop/Add period ends. Students who opt out after the IA charge has been applied will receive a credit to their SLU bill.

    How do students access course materials in the Inclusive Access program?

    Students enrolled in courses participating in the Inclusive Access program access required materials through the Canvas site for those courses. The details vary by course and publisher for required courseware/materials. 

    Can students opt out? How does that work?

    Yes–until the end of the University Drop/Add period. When students go through Canvas to access course materials, they will have the ability to opt out until the end of the University Drop/Add period for that term. If students opt out after a charge has been applied to their student accounts, a credit will be issued. 

     

    Remember: Students who opt out of Inclusive Access must still obtain access to the required courseware/course materials through other means, such as purchasing an access code on their own, in order to complete required work in the course. 

    If students opt out by mistake, can they still opt in?

    Yes–until the end of the University Drop/Add period for a given term. When students go through Canvas to access their course materials, they will be able to see whether they are opted in/opted out and to make changes before the Drop/Add period ends. Before the Drop/Add period ends, students can simply opt back in, and the charge will be re-applied to their student accounts. 

    How do students pay for course materials in the Inclusive Access program?

    The fee for Inclusive Access (IA) course materials is charged directly to students’ SLU accounts. This approach means financial aid (if applicable) can be used to cover IA fees, and there is no out-of-pocket cost for students to access the materials. 

     

    Students who have questions about their SLU account should contact Student Financial Services at sfs@slu.edu. Students who have questions about bookstore charges on their SLU account should contact Textbook Brokers at billikenshop@textbookbrokers.com. 

    What if a student with disability accommodations needs print copies of course materials?

    They should contact the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources (CADR) to discuss options.

     

     

    What if students have questions?

    If they have questions about accessing materials for your course in Canvas, they’ll reach out to you. If they have questions about their student accounts/billing, they may contact SLU Student Financial Services at sfs@slu.edu. All other questions about Inclusive Access may be directed to Textbook Brokers at billikenshop@textbookbrokers.com.