Publisher Materials Aren't Accessible: Dealing with Pearson, Cengage, and McGraw-Hill

"There was a 20-chapter textbook and each chapter had its own publisher-provided PowerPoints that were NOT accessible and I refused. I wasn't being paid to go through hundreds of slides."

This frustrated faculty member isn't alone. Across US higher education, professors 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 to navigate this problem.

The Publisher Problem

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 color 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

Why Publishers Haven't Fixed This

Economic reality:

• Accessibility retrofitting is expensive
• US market didn't require it until recently
• Legacy content (some materials are 10+ years old)
• Fragmented product lines (different teams, different standards)

Changing slowly:

• Major publishers have made commitments
• New content is generally better
• But legacy content is still inaccessible

Your Legal Position

What the Law Says

ADA Title II (for public universities):

• You must provide accessible course materials
• "We didn't create it" is not a defense
• You're responsible for what you assign

Section 504:

• Same obligations for all institutions receiving federal funding
• Includes publisher materials assigned to students

But Also...

You have leverage:

• Publishers want your business
• Accessible alternatives may exist
• You can negotiate contract terms

The "Good Faith" Standard

OCR and courts recognize practical constraints:

What helps:

• Documented requests to publishers for accessible versions
• Evidence of searching for alternatives
• Interim accommodations while seeking solutions
• Systematic approach to remediation

What hurts:

• Ignoring the problem
• No documentation of efforts
• Refusing to provide accommodations
• Continuing to assign known-inaccessible content without action

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 OCR investigates or a student complains, documentation shows good faith effort.

Step 2: Contact Publishers

What to ask for:

• Accessible versions of materials you're using
• Accessibility VPATs (Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates)
• Timeline for accessibility improvements
• Alternative formats available

Template email:

Subject: Accessibility of [Product Name] for ADA/Section 504 Compliance

>

Dear [Publisher Rep],

>

Our institution is working to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility requirements for all course materials under ADA Title II and Section 504.

>

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 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.

Send to: Your institutional rep AND the publisher's accessibility contact

Step 3: Request VPATs

What's a VPAT?

Voluntary Product Accessibility Template—a document where vendors self-report accessibility status.

Where to find them:

• Pearson: pearson.com/accessibility
• Cengage: cengage.com/accessibility
• McGraw-Hill: mheducation.com/accessibility
• Wiley: wiley.com/accessibility

How to read them:

• "Supports" = generally accessible
• "Partially Supports" = some features accessible
• "Does Not Support" = inaccessible
• "Not Applicable" = feature doesn't exist

Red flag: If there's no VPAT, the product probably has significant accessibility issues.

Step 4: Explore Alternatives

Questions to ask:

• Is there a more accessible textbook for this course?
• Are there Open Educational Resources (OER) alternatives?
• Can I create my own materials (with proper accessibility)?
• Can I use a different edition with better accessibility?

OER resources:

• OpenStax (free, generally accessible textbooks)
• MERLOT (searchable repository)
• OER Commons (teaching resources)
• LibreTexts (open textbooks)

Trade-off: OER may not be as polished, but you control accessibility.

Step 5: Negotiate Contract Terms

For new adoptions:

Include accessibility requirements in purchasing decisions.

Contract language to request:

• "Materials shall conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA"
• "Publisher shall provide accessible alternatives upon request"
• "Publisher shall remediate inaccessible content within [timeframe]"

Institutional procurement:

Work with your procurement office to include accessibility in standard vendor agreements.

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

Math/Science content:

• Convert equation images to MathML
• Add natural language descriptions

Step 7: Provide Interim Accommodations

While waiting for accessible versions:

For students who need accommodations now:

• Work with Disability Services
• Provide personal reader/assistance
• Create accessible summaries of key content
• Offer alternative assignments if content is essential but inaccessible

Document these accommodations as evidence of good faith.

Working with Major Publishers

Pearson

Accessibility contacts:

• [email protected]
• Your institutional account manager

What they offer:

• Pearson+ has generally good accessibility
• PDF textbooks vary widely
• Newer content is better than legacy

What to push for:

• Accessible instructor resources (not just student materials)
• Timeline for legacy content updates

Cengage

Accessibility contacts:

• [email protected]
• MindTap accessibility team

What they offer:

• Cengage Unlimited has accessibility features
• MindTap is generally accessible (web-based)
• PDF content varies

What to push for:

• Accessible test banks
• PowerPoint slides with proper structure

McGraw-Hill

Accessibility contacts:

• [email protected]
• Connect accessibility team

What they offer:

• Connect platform is generally accessible
• SmartBook has accessibility features
• Legacy PDFs are often problematic

What to push for:

• STEM content with MathML (not equation images)
• Video captions beyond auto-generated

Wiley

Accessibility contacts:

• [email protected]

What they offer:

• WileyPLUS has accessibility improvements
• eBooks vary by title

What to push for:

• Accessible lab manuals and workbooks
• Technical content with proper math markup

The Long Game

Influence Future Adoptions

When selecting new materials:

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

Participate in Adoption Committees

If you're on a textbook selection committee:

• Add accessibility to the evaluation rubric
• Require VPATs from all candidates
• Test content with screen readers
• Ask students with disabilities for input

Push for Institutional Policy

Work with your institution to:

• Require VPATs for all new adoptions
• Include accessibility in vendor contracts
• Create standards for acceptable materials
• Establish process for accessibility complaints

The Bottom Line

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

Your path forward:

1. Document the problem
2. Request accessible versions
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.

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