The VitalSource Accessibility Commitment

The VitalSource Commitment

Accessibility has been a defining value at VitalSource for decades. Our goal is to ensure that learners everywhere can engage with their materials on equal terms, and we have built a reputation for leadership in accessibility by working closely with institutions, publishers, and experts across the industry.

VitalSource is committed to using commercially reasonable efforts, within our control, to design and maintain our platform solutions so that they align with WCAG 2.1 AA. This commitment applies to the platform features we create and manage. It does not extend to publisher-supplied content or to the choices institutions make when selecting materials, which remain the responsibility of those parties. To support them, VitalSource exposes publisher-provided accessibility metadata across our systems, helping institutions and partners to make informed content decisions.

We recognize that accessibility is an ongoing process, not a one-time achievement. Some gaps may exist in our products from time to time due to evolving technologies, third-party dependencies, or transition plans. When this occurs, we will communicate transparently through our public Accessibility Statement and our published Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs), available at accessibility.vitalsource.com. We will act in good faith to address gaps as quickly as reasonably possible, taking into account technical feasibility. Our Customer Success team will work directly with institutions on accommodations, ensuring learners remain supported even while remediation is underway.

ADA Title II and the VitalSource Platform

The new rule from the US Department of Justice (https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/) establishes WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the governing technical standard for digital services. Compliance begins on April 24, 2026 for larger public entities and April 26, 2027 for smaller entities and special districts. These deadlines place significant responsibility on institutions, which must ensure learners have access to a conforming experience.

VitalSource is committed to making all of our applications — including Bookshelf Online and our native apps for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, Android, KindleFire, and Chromebook — as accessible as possible. Our goal is for learners to be able to use the application of their choice with confidence. Where accessibility gaps remain, they are documented transparently in our Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs), and remediation efforts are prioritized to close them.

At the same time, we recognize that Title II requires institutions to provide a fully conforming experience. To support this, VitalSource has designated Bookshelf Online as a pathway that can serve as a conforming alternate version. In practice, this means that if a specific learner encounters a barrier in a native application, the Online version is available to provide equivalent access. Our Customer Success team will work with institutions to ensure this pathway is clear and available when needed.

RedShelf applications will continue to operate during their communicated transition period, but they are not expected to achieve full WCAG 2.1 AA alignment before retirement. In those cases as well, learners can be routed to Bookshelf Online as the conforming alternate version until they transition to a more accessible solution.

The DOJ rule permits the use of conforming alternate versions, but only when it is not technically possible to make the primary experience fully accessible. VitalSource’s priority is always to make the main experiences accessible across all of our applications, reserving the Online version as a reliable fallback when necessary, consistent with DOJ guidance.

Looking Ahead

While WCAG 2.1 AA is the operative standard under most legislation worldwide, VitalSource is also preparing for the next evolution in accessibility standards. Our teams test against WCAG 2.2 Success Criteria and are monitoring the draft WCAG 3.0, which emphasizes usability and inclusivity. We continue to invest in training, testing, audits, and inclusive design practices to remain aligned with both current requirements and future expectations.

Technical Documentation

For customers and institutions requiring more detailed evidence — including annual audits by third-party experts, governance structures, testing methodologies, and our tiered accountability model — VitalSource maintains all of our accessibility documentation at accessibility.vitalsource.com.