Affordable textbooks and open educational resources: highlighted course materials at a public postsecondary institution must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act

Under Revised Statutes 17:3129.9(B)(1), beginning in Fall 2020, each public postsecondary education institution must use a conspicuous symbol, logo or other distinguishing feature to highlight each course in its course schedule that exclusively uses affordable or open educational resource course materials, and must ensure that these course materials comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the federal Copyright Act of 1976.

Under Revised Statutes 17:3129.9(A)(3), an open educational resource is a teaching, learning or research resource in the public domain or released under a license that permits free use, adaptation and redistribution, and may include course materials, textbooks, media, assessments, software and other tools, whether digital or otherwise.

Under Revised Statutes 17:3129.9(A)(1), an affordable educational resource is a required educational resource offered at no or low cost, at a pre-sales tax cost to a student of no more than four times the federal minimum wage, and includes copyright protected material a library buys and provides to a student at no cost. The section took effect on June 6, 2019.