University of San Diego’s Digital Immediate Access (DIA) program is designed to provide students with accessibility to all the course materials at the lowest price possible.
This includes course textbooks, courseware or other required materials that would typically be purchased through the bookstore. These books will be delivered electronically through Canvas to ensure students have access on the first day of accessing the course.
Rather than purchase the books individually, the student's account will be charged for the books, but at a lower price than they will be able to find from a commercial retailer. eBooks made available through the DIA program allow students to have access to the materials for a set duration program and can also allow students to print portions of the textbooks as needed.
Important
If you have adopted an eTextbook through the Torero bookstore, you need to make the eTextbook link visible in your Canvas course navigation menu so that students can access the book or opt out if they have obtained the book from another source. Even if you have the publisher link, such as Pearson, visible in your course, you still need to have eTextbooks visible so students have the ability to opt out. View this job aid for instructions on how to make eTextbooks visible in your navigation menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Adopting textbooks through the Digital Immediate Access (DIA) program is a streamlined process. You'll first need to identify the textbooks and materials you wish to use for your course. We recommend you create an account with VitalSource if you have not already done so. You can create an account and sample textbooks there. Learn how to create a VitalSouce account for course textbook selection and obtaining desk copies and books samples.
Once you've made your selection, contact the university bookstore or your program coordinator to begin the adoption process.
Linking your textbook in your Canvas course is straightforward:
- Ensure that the textbook you have chosen is available in the DIA program’s digital collection and you have confirmed the adoption with the Torero Bookstore.
- Inside your Canvas course, navigate to the Settings page. Click on the Navigation tab at the top of the page.
- Click on three dots to the right of the eTextbook(s) link. Click Enable and then click Save at the bottom of the page.
- Click on the link to ensure it is functioning correctly and that students can access the textbook(s) you adopted.
If the book you wish to use is not available in an electronic format, please contact the university bookstore or your program coordinator. They can assist in exploring options for making the book available digitally, or help in finding suitable alternative materials that are available in electronic format to complement your course.
Students can access the textbook directly through the Canvas course once you make the eTextbook link available in the course navigation menu. Upon initially clicking on eTextbook, they will have the option to opt-out of the fee and access to the book. Students must have a Vital Source account to access the e-textbook and will be prompted to set up an account if they do not yet have one. Once they access the book through Canvas, they can also access the textbook on various devices through the VitalSource Bookshelf app, which allows for both online and offline access.
No problem! If a student prefers a physical copy of the textbook, they have the option to purchase one independently through the university bookstore or other retailers. They can use the books ISBN that is provided on the bookstores website to find the exact edition of the textbook. However, students must opt-out of the digital textbook access through Canvas within the first 14 days of the semester to avoid being charged for the digital version. They opt-out of the textbook fee through the link in your Canvas course.
Students have access to the digital textbook for the entire duration of the course. Depending on the specific terms of the license with the publisher, access can potentially extend beyond the course end date if students choose to purchase extended access.
Utilizing an eBook for your course comes with several benefits not only for students, but faculty as well:
- Immediate Access: Students have instant access to the materials from the first day of the course, ensuring that they can start their studies right away.
- Cost-Effectiveness: The DIA program offers the materials at the lowest possible cost, making it an economical choice for students.
- Integration with Canvas: The integration with Canvas facilitates seamless access and navigation for students, making the teaching process smoother.
- Interactive Learning: eBooks often offer interactive elements, such as clickable links, multimedia content, and interactive quizzes, which can enhance the learning experience.
- Environmentally Friendly: Using digital textbooks is a green choice, helping to save paper and reduce the carbon footprint associated with printing and distributing physical books.
- Customizable Content: Depending on the eBook platform, you might have the option to highlight text, add notes, and customize the content to align with your teaching style and course objectives.
- Analytics and Insights: Digital platforms often offer analytics and insights into student engagement with the material, allowing you to tailor your teaching strategies accordingly.
Please see How to Link to VitalSource eTextbooks in Canvas job aid.
Communication for Students
Consider adding the statement below to your course syllabus to set expectations with students regarding the use of digital immediate access eTextbooks for your course.
Sample Syllabus Language
In this course, we are using the USD Torero Store Digital Inclusive Access (DIA) program, an initiative designed to facilitate easy and economical access to essential course materials. Through this program, you will be able to access the required textbook(s) electronically via the Canvas course, starting from the first day of class. The e-textbooks, accessible through VitalSource, not only ensure that students have the necessary materials at the onset of the course but also allow for interactive learning with features like search, read-aloud, bookmarks, flashcards, highlighting and note-taking.
Students have the option to opt-out of this program within the first 14 days of the course if they prefer to acquire the textbook through different means. You can opt-out of the fee and electronic book access from the eTextbook link in the left hand navigation.