Immediate Access Programs | Affordable Learning Solutions

Provide Students Course Materials Access on the First Day of Class

Immediate Access: An Improved Choice for Faculty

Free quality course materials in the students’ hands on the first day of class and substantial savings on the cost of the materials is available in the various CSU Immediate Access programs.

Jointly negotiated and delivered by faculty, departments, publishers, providers, and campus stores, Immediate Access offers a period (usually until add/drop date) of free access to LMS digitally delivered commercial learning content to enrolled students with a lower cost charge at the end of the free period. In most cases, students may opt out and not purchase the materials if they so choose.

All CSU campus bookstores have programs in place to deliver Immediate Access 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. Immediate Access 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.

Immediate Access Program Elements

Immediate-Inclusive Access Programs are campus specific programs that allow students to have access to their digital course materials on the first day of class at no cost until the add/drop date.
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.
Multiple CSU campuses have implemented similar but different Immediate.
These programs require campus stakeholders working together to establish and coordinate the program with multiple units on the campus and partnerships with publishers.
These programs require campus bookstores, faculty, and publishers to work together to deliver the right course materials at the best prices.

Guide to Implement Immediate Access/Opt Out for Course Materials

In order to provide students their course materials on the first day of class, follow the “Guide” to implement a plan for a free trial period, a course fee opt out, and for campus committee approval.

Leading the CSU in reducing publisher course materials’ costs with student access to the materials on the first day of class.

San Diego State's Immediate/Opt Out Access program continues to expand and grows in popularity.

SDSU's Aztec Shops are projecting to have 150 classes participate in their Immediate Access programThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab. during the 2018/2019 academic year. Potentially 42,000 students may opt to participate and save 4 million dollars on their course materials.
Since Spring 2016 SDSU has had 102 courses participate in the program and over 21,500 students have taken advantage of the savings and having digital materials the first day of class. SDSU student cumulative savings by taking advantage of the Immediate Access programThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab. through Summer 2018 will be over 2.1 million dollars.
Fall 2017 the Immediate Access programThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab. expanded to twenty-one classes providing 8,850+ SDSU students immediate access to their digital materials.
Immediate Access - First Day of Class was first piloted in Spring 2016 with 2 classes and 489 students.
Note the level of coordination with key stakeholders on campus have made this program a success so far.

For more information on the SDSU Immediate Access Program, click on this linkThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab..

Listen to the webinar archive presented by SDSU and AL$This link will take you to an external website in a new tab..

CSU campuses offering first day of class digital textbook discount programs for their students

Cal State Long Beach - Day One Digital AccessThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab.
Cal State Fullerton - Direct AccessThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab.
Cal Poly Pomona - Instant AccessThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab.
San Diego State - Immediate AccessThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab.

These campus stores are managed by Follett Higher Education Group.
To inquire on First Day of Class, Immediate Access and other programs available contact your campus stores' course materials or store manager.

These campus stores are managed by B&N College. Los AngelesThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab. - San JoseThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab. - SonomaThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab. - StanislausThis link will take you to an external website in a new tab.. To inquire on First Day of Class, Immediate Access and other programs available contact your campus stores' course materials or store managers.