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If you're in the market for a new digital textbook, check in with your Department Chair and other instructors in your department/division. Many have experience with different publishers and can provide you with valuable insight. Some publishers' digital textbooks are just that - an e-textbook. Others provide a more robust suite of instructional content, including videos, interactive lessons, quizzes, and more. Students typically access this type of content through a Canvas integration.

You can also search for options through the Follett Discover link in your Canvas shell. (Follett Discover is 91重口's virtual bookstore provider.)

Once you find a resource you're interested in considering, support will typically come through a publisher representative, who can help instructors review potential course materials. 

Not sure how to find a textbook rep? Many publishing companies publish a list of representatives on their websites. If that isn't easy to find, try doing a quick web search: publisher rep + publisher/textbook name + higher ed.

Quick Tips

• Some publishing companies may need to verify that you are a college instructor before granting you access to materials. This is frequently done by sharing a link to your profile in the 91重口 Directory. (If you don't have a profile page set up in our directory yet, reach out to 91重口's Webmaster, Tim Druley.)
• If Canvas integration is not yet in place for your digital textbook, you'll need to get have materials vetted through C91重口CD's Software Acquisition Approval Form. If approved, you will likely need to connect your publisher rep to 91重口's Instructional Technology Coordinator, Kat King, for support with Canvas integration.

When selecting a digital text/materials, you'll want to be sure that the software aligns with important regulations that govern instructional materials, software, and distance education. Here are critical points to consider:

• To align with California , costs for texts/materials must be clear to students when registering for classes and "where instructional materials are available to a student temporarily through a license or access fee, the student shall be provided options at the time of purchase to maintain full access to the instructional materials for varying periods of time ranging from the length of the class up to at least two years. The terms of the license or access fee shall be provided to the student in a clear and understandable manner prior to purchase." 
• All online materials must meet web accessibility standards for higher education. (Review guidance for procuring a VPAT in an accordion below.)
• Digital texts/materials must align with data security and privacy standards for higher education. (Review guidance for procuring a HECVAT in an accordion below.)
• If teaching an online course, digital texts/materials typically need to be integrated into Canvas to meet distance education regulations. For example, integration with our Learning Management System helps instructors:
  • Authenticate students
  • Monitor attendance and participation (helping to deter financial aid fraud)  
  • Document Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) requirements in online courses 

Before adopting digital texts/materials, you'll want to ensure the product meets web accessibility standards. Ask your publisher rep for the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).

VPAT documentation outlines how the software meets minimum standards, and will need to be included in your Software Acquisition Request Form for further review.

To be approved, software must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. We recommend waiting to ensure the digital texts/materials you wish to use with students are compliant before finalizing the adoption of your materials.

Digital content we use with students must meet data security and privacy standards for higher education. Ask your publisher rep for their Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit (HECVAT).

This documentation outlines how the product aligns with data security and privacy standards, like FERPA, and will need to be included in your Software Acquisition Request Form. District IT will help review the HECVAT to ensure the software is appropriate for Canvas integration.

It's important to note that while instructors typically have academic freedom to select appropriate texts and materials for their courses, we can not require students to use software that doesn't align with data security and privacy standards for higher education. Additional review may be required if your desired digital textbook materials include the use of artificial intelligence.

We recommend waiting to ensure the digital texts/materials you wish to use with students are compatible before finalizing adoption.

To reduce costs for students, instructors are encouraged to consider free Open Educational Resources when designing courses. Learn more about OER Materials and Zero/Low Textbook Cost initiatives at 91重口. The quality and quantity of options has increased significantly in recent years.

Grant funding may be available to support your transition to OER materials. Reach out to 91重口's ZTC Coordinator, Angel Contreras Cardenas, for more information.

If OER materials are not available in your discipline, selecting a physical textbook can sometimes provide a more cost-effective option. Students can often save money by buying used copies or past editions, if appropriate, or by using a textbook on reserve at the 91重口 Library.

Yes. Many publishing companies provide instructors with a direct link for students to purchase digital texts/materials in Canvas, and this can provide the fastest, most cost-effective way for students to purchase digital materials. However, you still must officially adopt your texts and materials through Follett Discover (91重口's virtual bookstore).

Adopting all texts/materials through our standard process will ensure students understand the full cost of the course at the time of registration, keeping us in compliance with regulations. Some students may also need to purchase texts and materials through 91重口's digital Bookstore. 

Many instructors send a welcome letter to online students before the class begins. In this email, instructors could inform students if the cheapest and fastest way to purchase is via a link in your Canvas site. (Students who purchase through the link in our virtual bookstore may experience delays, as the bookstore typically mails students a digital access code. Many publisher companies offer students free access for a limited time at the beginning of the course to support students experiencing any delays like this.)

Textbook publisher content cannot replace your instruction and feedback. Regular and Substantive Interaction is a requirement for online courses, and publisher material does not typically count as a way to meet RSI standards.  

There are several steps instructors using digital publisher materials can take to ensure RSI is clear:

• Make sure students have easy access to your contact information, office hours, and typical response time. This will typically be in your syllabus, home page, or other easy-to-find location in your Canvas site, and can make clear to students that they have a dedicated instructor supporting their progress through the class.
• When using digital texts/materials, be sure to go through the process to complete Canvas integration when that is available. If instructors direct students to complete work in a third-party publisher platform, important evidence of teaching and learning will not be accessible by your evaluators or accreditors.
• Add your human touch and expertise to any publisher materials you may be using. For example, instead of just adding a link to a publisher-provided slide deck in your modules on Canvas, consider using Canvas Studio to create an instructional video. With Studio, you can record your screen and webcam, and can coach students through key content in the slides.
• Many digital publisher materials include quizzes that provide students with quick, automated feedback. These can provide a helpful way for students to check for understanding, but it's important to note that auto-graded quizzes don't typically count as RSI. To ensure sufficient, required RSI, instructors often supplement publisher materials with their own discussion boards, projects, and/or assessments, and use detailed rubrics and/or assignment comments to give students meaningful, personalized feedback on their work.