Content Transparency

VitalSource does not determine whether content is "accessible" or "compliant." Accessibility compliance is contextual and institution-specific, depending on intended use, available accommodations, and internal policies. Our role is to provide transparent, structured, publisher-supplied information that helps institutions make informed decisions aligned to their own requirements and risk tolerance.

Accessibility Metadata Tiers indicate the maturity of publisher-provided accessibility documentation for a title. They are documentation transparency signals, not accessibility ratings or compliance determinations.

• Tier 0: No accessibility documentation.   

• Tier 1: Accessibility feature metadata ("Ways of Reading").   

• Tier 2: Conformance statement (no WCAG version or level).   

• Tier 3: Features plus WCAG-referenced conformance.   

• Tier 4: Features, WCAG conformance, and certification documentation.   

• Tier 5: Features, WCAG 2.1/2.2 Level AA (or higher), and certification documentation.

Tiers are available in the Day One Access Accessibility Report and will expand to other reports. Publishers can add or update metadata using Accessibility Metadata in Upload.