Macmillan Learning Accessibility

Macmillan Learning strives to create products that are usable by all learners and meet universally applied accessibility standards.

Accessible Books Consortium logo

2020 Winner of Accessible Books Consortium’s International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing

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Gold Standard from ASPIRE

We are in for inclusion logo

Earned 100% on Disability Equality Index

Commitment to Accessibility

An award certificate shows a logo of a yellow equal sign against a blue background. The associated text reads HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION T M 2022, BEST PLACES TO WORK for L G B T Q plus Equality, and 100 percent CORPORATE EQUALITY INDEX T M.

Macmillan Learning Earns 100% on Human Rights Campaign 2022 Corporate Equality Index

Company designated as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality

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Diversity Jobs names Macmillan Learning as Top Employer 2021

Macmillan Learning is proud to be recognized as a top employer for our efforts to build a diverse and inclusive workforce.

An award certificate titled

2020 Winner of Accessible Books Consortium’s International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing

Presented by the WIPO-led Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), this award is a noted event in the field of accessibility.

An award certificate titled ASPIRE 2020, GOLD 83 contains two diagonal white bands joined at the top right corner against a green background.

Gold Standard from ASPIRE

ASPIRE is the premiere verification service for accessibility statements in the publishing industry.

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Macmillan Learning is committed to the goal of providing equal access to all products regardless of an individual’s age, ability, or situation and embraces the opportunity to develop services and information technologies that are accessible and usable by all individuals. Accessibility at Macmillan Learning is about extending the power of education to all users. In addition to addressing product compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen reader software, alternative keyboard devices, and voice recognition products, we are working to ensure that the content and platforms we provide are fully accessible by focusing on five fundamental principles:

An icon for Champion Equal Success shows an equality symbol inside a blue circle.Champion Equal Success
Commit to providing all usersAn icon for Innovate with Purpose shows the illustration cross-sectionally cut depicting the sun on the left and a light bulb on the right inside a blue circle., regardless of abilities, equal learning opportunities.
An icon for Elevate Teaching and Learning Experiences shows a solid triangle pointing upward and a hollow triangle pointing downward inside a blue circle.Elevate Teaching & Learning Experiences
Craft user-friendly and standards-compliant designs that uplift and enrich the lives of all users.
An icon for Innovate with Purpose shows the illustration cross-sectionally cut depicting the sun on the left and a light bulb on the right inside a blue circle.Innovate with Purpose
Embrace accessibility challenges as inspiration to develop groundbreaking, inclusive solutions.
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Cultivate a culture of continuous growth, fostering a deep understanding of accessibility and disability inclusion that translates into transformative solutions.
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Foster cooperation among team members and users with disabilities to address diverse needs throughout the development of our products and services.

Accessibility Features

By partnering with the best and the brightest authors in their respective fields, Macmillan Learning strives to improve the world by moving beyond conventional educational concepts and empowering all instructors and students to explore coursework in new, innovative, and creative ways that will enable better outcomes for students and institutions.

E-books: Macmillan Learning produces e-books in EPUB3 format. Our e-books include accessibility metadata, short and long alt text, clear structure and organization, and a variety of navigation methods including page and heading navigation. The e-books reflow and respond to magnification, so the text is readable at 400% magnification. We also prioritize keyboard navigation and reading order in our e-book development. Macmillan Learning has a policy that allows 10 pages to be printed at a time and the copy/pasting of 2 pages at a time.

We are proud that starting in 2019, our e-books are Global Certified Accessible by Benetech. In 2020, Macmillan Learning was awarded the Accessible Books Consortium’s International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing. If you would like to learn more, you can read the Publishing Perspectives article on Macmillan Learning earning the first Global Certified Accessible designation.

Macmillan recommends requesting EPUBs as they are the most accessible version of digital textbooks. An EPUB is a file that contains and packages content (much like a .zip extension). It utilizes markup in HTML, XML, and CSS, and is the standard for accessible e-books. Macmillan provides DRM-free EPUBs to AccessText Network and BookShare and can provide DRM-free files when necessary directly to a customer. (DRM, digital rights management, is the use of technology to control and manage access to copyrighted material. DRM aims to protect the rights of copyright.) Some third party retailers may apply DRM to our e-book files when they are available for sale. Accessibility metadata is included within each of our e-books and lists the features included for accessibility including a clearly defined reading order and page numbers within the metadata for easier navigation.

Images: Since 2017, Macmillan has been providing alternative text for all images inside our e-books, slides, and other resources. Depending on the complexity of the image, we provide both short and long descriptions.

Videos: We provide closed captioning in an accessible player for our videos. Starting in 2019, we began introducing audio description to our video programs.

Simulations: We actively work with accessibility experts to ensure the best experience for all users. Many of our interactive simulations provide a rich, enhanced learning experience for all students.

Accessibility at Macmillan Learning is measured using guidelines set forth by 29 U.S.C. 794d (more commonly known as Section 508), as well as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) (more commonly known as WCAG 2.1 AA).

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Commitment to Support

"We subscribe to a broad definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction). Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization."
We Need Diverse Books

Upon request, with no additional cost, Macmillan Learning will provide accessible materials such as instructor and student resources (e.g., lecture slides, quizzes, PDFs, etc.), and e-books (or alternate book formats) to Accessibility/Disability Support Services offices for qualified instructors and students with disabilities and for instructors supporting students with disabilities.

We have created helpful articles on our Macmillan Learning Support site. These articles are a quick way to get information on subjects such as using a screen reader in the VitalSource e-book or learning useful tips on creating accessible courses in Achieve.

We also maintain a dedicated e-mail (webaccessibility@macmillan.com) to receive input on any accessibility issues.

Make a Request

We aim to respond to all accessibility requests within two to three business days and fulfill requests within five to ten business days. To obtain accessible materials, please review our accessibility partners’ sites below and/or visit the support site:

AccessText Network

An Accessibility Partner

For Higher Education requests only

Macmillan Learning is proud to partner with AccessText Network (ATN). AccessText Network is a clearinghouse for accessible files from all major higher education publishers. AccessText is a conduit between the publishing world and colleges and universities across the country, with a shared mission to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to their textbooks in an accessible format and in a timely manner. Accessible Texts may be ordered directly from Macmillan Learning or via AccessText Network.

Visit AccessText Network

BookShare

An Accessibility Partner

Macmillan Learning is also proud to partner with Bookshare. Bookshare serves users around the world and ensures that content is available to people with print disabilities at the same time as their peers. Bookshare makes its services available, free of charge, to all qualifying students in the United States through an award from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Bookshare members may download Macmillan Learning textbooks in a compressed, encrypted file and can then read the material using adaptive technology or Braille access devices, such as refreshable Braille displays.

Visit Bookshare

Support Community

Macmillan Learning

If you are unable to find the accessible materials you need from our partners, please talk with our ChatBot, Millie, and she will assist you. If Millie is unable to answer your question, she will create an accessibility request on your behalf when you type "contact support". Alternatively, contact us via webaccessibility@macmillan.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible. When you make any accessibility request with Macmillan, we will never ask users about private information, such as medical records.

Chat with Millie

Trade Alternate Format Request

If you are looking for a title from any of our partners at us.macmillan.com, including:

  • Farrar, Straus and Giroux
  • First Second
  • Henry Holt & Co.
  • Picador
  • St. Martin’s Press
  • Tor/Forge

Please click the button below to fill out a Trade Alternate Format Request form.

Trade Request Form

Commitment to Change

At Macmillan Learning, accessibility is paramount. We are currently updating legacy content/materials while simultaneously implementing appropriate internal organizational changes to ensure that future products conform to the WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines.

Our commitment to accessibility extends farther than just within Macmillan Learning. Our staff are actively engaged in industry organizations such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) to stay up-to-date on developing accessibility standards and to promote accessibility throughout our industry.

In 2018, we formed an Accessibility Advisory Board where we discuss and problem solve accessibility issues that universities and students are experiencing on a daily basis. This advisory board has participants from Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Pellissippi State, College of New Rochelle, University of Kansas, Chattanooga State Community College, University of Colorado, California State University Northridge, University of Florida, St. Petersburg College, and Redford University.

In addition to working as quickly as possible to make our products and services accessible, we maintain a dedicated e-mail address (webaccessibility@macmillan.com) to receive input on any accessibility issues. Macmillan Learning also supports and participates in national and international disability-focused initiatives as well as cultivates relationships with developers of assistive technology software, which is essential to evolving our product compatibility.

Internally, Macmillan Learning supports employees with an Employee Resource Group: AVID@ML (Awareness of Visible & Invisible Disabilities), which provides a forum for Macmillan Learning to broaden their understanding regarding people with disabilities by sharing ideas and participating in the disability community. We subscribe to a broad model of disability that includes (but is not limited to) anyone who faces societal barriers due to physical, mental, neurological, or other differences or health conditions. We work to advance awareness and inclusion for people with disabilities at Macmillan Learning through education initiatives. AVID@ML supports Macmillan's mission of creating a diverse and inclusive community, thus we provide a safe space for people with disabilities and their allies to share their stories and be heard. We advocate for an inclusive, respectful, and positive environment by advising senior leadership on policies and practices and emphasizing the issues we have in common.

Commitment to Our Community

As a member of the international accessibility community, Macmillan Learning is honored to benefit from and add to the knowledge and research of many skilled subject matter experts. There is a wealth of material available for learning about the creation of accessible products, and Macmillan is enthusiastic about contributing to that open-source library of materials in hopes that we can help others in their accessibility journey in the same way. In partnership with Tech For All, we have developed the following Guidelines and Checklists for creating accessible materials:


If you have any feedback about these resources or suggestions about future resources, please reach out to us at webaccessibility@macmillan.com.


Page last updated June 30, 2023.