LibGuides: Zero Cost Course Resources Initiative Guide (Open Educational Resources (OER) / BU Library eResources): OER

"Hybrid" Open Educational Resources

Some organizations and publishers offer the use of OER along with other resources for a fee.

Examples:

Lumen Learning
Uses Open Educational Resources (OER) to create course materials that replace expensive textbooks.
Provides the following course materials:
Candela: E-books with curated text, video, interactives, and other learning materials ($10/student)
Waymaker: Combines enriched OER with personalized learning tools that improve faculty-student connections ($25/student)
OHM: Provides online homework and other learning resources ($25/student)
OpenNow (Cengage)
Designed to help higher education institutions and instructors easily access and use OER, OpenNow delivers curriculum-aligned OER content on an intuitive, outcomes-based platform. Pricing starts at $25 per student per course.

Inclusive Access

To address the problem of expensive print textbooks, some publishers have begun offering "inclusive access" programs. This type of program allows institutions to sign up whole classes of students to automatically receive digital course materials at a discounted rate, rather than purchasing them individually. However, these resources usually cannot be modified in the way that most OER can, and publishers control the pricing.

InclusiveAccess.org
A community-driven initiative to raise awareness about the facts about automatic textbook billing. Developed by SPARC.

Examples of Inclusive Access Programs:

Cengage Inclusive Access
Integrates the cost of course materials directly through the campus bookstore or other preferred transactions. It delivers content directly to an institution’s Learning Management System (LMS) so students are ready from day one.
Cengage Unlimited
Offers students all-you-can-learn access to course materials—for one price—regardless of course load, ensuring students have their materials on day one. Students can access the entire library of over 20,000 digital learning assets across 675 courses, including ebooks, digital learning platforms and study tools, for $119.99 per semester or $179.99 per year.
Macmillan Learning Ready (Inclusive Access and Digital Discount Program)
Everything is set for students ahead of time, so their digital course materials are available before the first day of class. Macmillan works with institutions to discount these materials and make the cost a part of each student’s tuition.
McGraw-Hill Education’s Inclusive Access
Designed to ensure that every student, regardless of circumstance, has access to high quality adaptive learning products through their LMS on Day 1. An innovative direct digital distribution program that ensures inclusive access for all students to their required learning materials while improving engagement and long-term educational outcomes.
Pearson Inclusive Access
Offers students greater access to high-quality, affordable course materials and support services, and the data and analytics that drive increased achievement
VitalSource Inclusive Access
All students are given access to digital course materials on day one of classes through their institution’s Learning Management System. They benefit from lower prices made possible by volume discounts that are available only when all students in a course have day-one access.
VitalSource works with over 1,000 publishers to deliver quality digital learning materials—virtually any content can be adopted for use in Inclusive Access.
Wiley Inclusive Access
Provides students and faculty with instant digital access to high-quality required materials on or before the first day of class at substantial savings.

Affordable Options

FlatWorld
Publish high-quality textbooks at an affordable price--between $24.95 and $39.95

Bethel University Library

Zero Cost Course Resources Initiative Guide (Open Educational Resources (OER) / BU Library eResources)

"Hybrid" Open Educational Resources

Inclusive Access

Affordable Options