Publisher Materials Aren't Accessible: Dealing with Pearson AU, Cengage AU, and Wiley

"The publisher PowerPoints are NOT accessible and I refused. I wasn't being paid to go through hundreds of slides."

This frustrated faculty member isn't alone. Across Australian higher education, academics are discovering that the publisher materials they've used for years—textbooks, PowerPoints, test banks, supplementary videos—don't meet WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.

And they're being told to fix content they didn't create.

Here's how Australian universities can navigate this problem.

The Publisher Problem in Australia

What's Actually Inaccessible

Common issues in publisher materials:

PDFs (eBooks, instructor manuals):

• Scanned images (no actual text, can't be read by screen readers)
• Missing structure tags (headings, lists not marked up)
• Complex tables without proper markup
• Images without alt text

PowerPoints:

• Low colour contrast (especially branded templates)
• Missing alt text on diagrams and charts
• Incorrect reading order
• Decorative images not marked as decorative

Test Banks:

• Questions formatted as images
• Math equations as images (not MathML)
• Inaccessible answer explanations

Video Content:

• Auto-captions only (70-80% accurate)
• No audio descriptions for visual content
• Missing transcripts

The Australian Context

Why it's different here:

• Smaller market means less Australian-specific content
• Many materials are US/UK imports (different standards)
• Australian Curriculum references may be outdated or missing
• Distance education is significant (accessibility more critical)

DDA 1992 and DSE 2005 implications:

• Universities must provide accessible materials
• "We didn't create it" is not a defence
• Ongoing obligation (not a deadline, unlike US)

Your Legal Position Under DDA

What the Law Requires

Disability Discrimination Act 1992:

• Universities cannot discriminate against students with disabilities
• This includes providing inaccessible course materials
• Applies to all materials students must access

Disability Standards for Education 2005:

• Students must be able to access education on the same basis as others
• Reasonable adjustments must be made
• Course materials are explicitly covered

The "Unjustifiable Hardship" Defence

Universities can claim unjustifiable hardship if compliance would cause:

• Significant financial burden
• Significant operational burden

But in 2026:

• Automated tools make remediation affordable
• "Too expensive" is harder to argue when tools exist
• AHRC has not been sympathetic to this defence for digital content

AHRC Complaint Risk

If a student lodges an AHRC complaint about inaccessible publisher materials:

• You'll need to show what efforts you made
• Documentation of requests to publishers helps
• Evidence of interim accommodations matters
• Systematic remediation efforts demonstrate good faith

What to Do: Step by Step

Step 1: Document Everything

Create a record:

• List all publisher materials you use
• Note accessibility status of each
• Document when you became aware of issues
• Save all correspondence with publishers

Why this matters:

If AHRC investigates, documentation shows good faith effort.

Step 2: Contact Publishers (Australian Offices)

What to ask for:

• Accessible versions of materials you're using
• Accessibility VPATs or conformance statements
• Timeline for accessibility improvements
• Alternative formats available

Template email:

Subject: Accessibility of [Product Name] for DDA/DSE Compliance

>

Dear [Publisher Rep],

>

Our university is working to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility requirements for all course materials under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and Disability Standards for Education 2005.

>

We currently use [Product Name] and have identified accessibility barriers including [list specific issues].

>

Please provide:

1. Accessible versions of this content (if available)

2. Your accessibility conformance statement or VPAT for this product

3. Your timeline for addressing accessibility

>

We are committed to continuing our partnership, and accessible materials are essential for our compliance obligations.

Step 3: Work with Your Library

University libraries often:

• Have direct relationships with publishers
• Can negotiate accessibility terms in licensing
• Have access to alternative formats
• Can provide accessible e-reserves

Ask your liaison librarian about:

• Publisher accessibility contacts
• Available alternative formats
• E-book accessibility features
• Streaming video caption options

Step 4: Explore Australian Alternatives

Open Educational Resources:

• OER Commons (oercommons.org)
• OpenStax ANZ (openstax.org)
• Open Textbooks (open.umn.edu/opentextbooks)
• LibreTexts (libretexts.org)

Australian-specific:

• Australian Open Textbook Collection
• Creative Commons licensed materials from Australian universities
• AARNET educational resources

Step 5: Request From Publishers

Major Publishers in Australia:

Pearson Australia

• Contact: [email protected]
• Australian support: pearson.com.au/contact
• Pearson+ generally has good accessibility
• Request AU-specific accessible versions

Cengage Australia

• Contact: [email protected]
• Australian support: cengage.com.au
• MindTap is generally accessible
• Push for accessible instructor resources

Wiley Australia

• Contact: [email protected]
• Australian support: wiley.com/en-au
• WileyPLUS has accessibility features
• Request technical content with proper MathML

McGraw-Hill Australia

• Contact: [email protected]
• Connect platform is generally accessible
• Push for STEM content accessibility

Oxford University Press ANZ

• Contact through oup.com.au
• Generally responsive to accessibility requests
• Strong in humanities and social sciences

Step 6: Remediate What You Can

For content you're stuck with:

PowerPoints:

• Run through Aelira or PowerPoint's accessibility checker
• Add alt text to images
• Fix contrast issues
• Correct reading order

PDFs:

• If text-based, add structure tags
• If scanned images, may need OCR + remediation
• Consider converting to accessible HTML

Videos:

• Edit auto-captions for accuracy
• Add speaker identification
• Include sound effect descriptions

Step 7: Provide Interim Accommodations

While waiting for accessible versions:

Work with Disability Support Services:

• Personal reader/assistance
• Alternative format provision
• Note-taking support
• Extended time if content access is delayed

Create accessible summaries:

• Key concepts in accessible format
• Study guides with proper structure
• Alternative resources that cover same learning outcomes

Working with Institutional Procurement

Contract Requirements

Push for accessibility in vendor agreements:

• "Materials shall conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA"
• "Vendor shall provide accessible alternatives upon request within [timeframe]"
• "Vendor shall provide conformance documentation"

AS EN 301 549:2020

For government-funded institutions:

This Australian standard (based on EU EN 301 549) applies to ICT procurement:

• Includes educational content platforms
• References WCAG 2.1
• Can be cited in tender requirements

Leverage Institutional Buying Power

Universities Australia:

• Consortium purchasing gives leverage
• Accessibility can be collective requirement
• Share accessibility assessments across institutions

Go8 Coordination:

• Group of Eight universities have purchasing influence
• Coordinate accessibility requirements
• Share VPATs and conformance data

The Long Game

Influence Future Adoptions

When selecting new materials:

1. Request VPAT/conformance statement before adoption
2. Test accessibility of sample content
3. Include accessibility in evaluation criteria
4. Document accessibility as factor in selection

Participate in Academic Boards

If you're on curriculum committees:

• Add accessibility to resource evaluation
• Require conformance documentation
• Test content with assistive technology
• Consult students with disabilities

Push for University Policy

Work with your institution to:

• Require accessibility conformance for all adoptions
• Include accessibility in vendor agreements
• Create standards for acceptable materials
• Establish process for accessibility complaints

Escalation Options

If Publishers Don't Respond

Internal escalation:

1. Faculty level (course coordinator)
2. School/department level (Head of School)
3. University level (DVC Education, Library)
4. Procurement/legal (contract review)

External options:

• AHRC (if student complaint arises)
• Universities Australia (sector advocacy)
• Disability advocacy organisations

Student Complaints

If a student complains about inaccessible publisher content:

1. Immediate: Provide interim accommodation
2. Short-term: Request accessible version from publisher
3. Document: Record all efforts and communications
4. Escalate: Work with Disability Services on formal response
5. Systemic: Flag for institutional policy review

The Bottom Line

You're not responsible for creating publisher content. But you are responsible for the accessibility of materials you assign under DDA and DSE.

Your path forward:

1. Document the problem
2. Request accessible versions from AU publisher offices
3. Explore alternatives (including OER)
4. Remediate what you can
5. Provide interim accommodations
6. Push for institutional policy changes

Publishers are responding to market pressure. Every request for accessible content adds to that pressure. Australian universities collectively have significant purchasing power.

The good news: This is getting better. Major publishers are investing in accessibility. But progress is slow, and you need solutions now.

See how Aelira handles publisher content remediation | Request a demo | View AU pricing