OpenStax and ADA guidelines

Our accessibility commitment

Accessibility is a top priority at OpenStax, and we continuously work to improve the accessibility of our resources. Our goal is to ensure that OpenStax webpages and web-based learning materials follow accessible design best practices and support the widest possible range of learners.

As part of this commitment, we partner with Level Access, a third-party accessibility solutions provider that conducts ongoing audits of our products through manual testing by experts, including people with disabilities. Our teams continuously prioritize, remediate, and retest issues in partnership with Level Access as part of an ongoing accessibility program.

We are committed to seeking compliance with:

  • WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 at Level AA
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the standard referenced in the DOJ's ADA Title II digital accessibility ruling for public institutions.

Accessible formats and features

The online web view of OpenStax textbooks is currently the most accessible format and is recommended for the most seamless experience, especially for users of assistive technologies.

Accessibility features in our online textbooks include:

  • On-screen text designed for readability
  • Alternative text for images and figures
  • Mathematical content delivered in MathML, which works with screen readers and can be customized with CSS
  • Detailed alternative text for complex mathematical graphics

Many titles are also available in alternative formats such as DAISY, BRF, and audiobook options through Bookshare and other partners. Check the Get the Book options on a title's details page to see what formats are available.

Please note that downloadable formats such as PDF and DOCX, as well as some instructor and ancillary resources, may have a different accessibility status than the online web view. Some of these resources have already been remediated, while others are still in progress.

Current status and updates

For the most current information on accessibility updates, remediation progress, and resource availability, please visit the Accessibility Hub. The Remediation Status section of that page is the primary public source for current updates on ancillary resources, PowerPoint files, PDFs, and other materials.

Accessibility documentation

You can review the following resources for more information about accessibility at OpenStax:

For Assignable's ACR, please contact assignable@openstax.org.

Reporting accessibility issues

If you encounter an accessibility issue, please submit it through our errata form. Select "Other" as the Errata Type, include "Accessibility" in the description, and note the book title, format, and specific location of the issue.

Your feedback is an important part of our accessibility work.

Adapting OpenStax content

All OpenStax content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA), so instructors and institutions are free to adapt materials to meet course needs, including making accessibility modifications.

TextbooksGeneralAccessibility