Integrating publisher content with Desire2Learn

Increasingly publishers are providing digital media content to accompany or supplement printed textbooks. We aim to support the integration of this content into the Desire2Learn learning management systems and actively work with publishers to determine best practices. Desire2Learn currently maintains partnerships with the following content developers and publishers.


 * Aventa Learning
 * Cengage Learning
 * CourseSmart Solutions
 * Elsevier
 * Macmillan Education
 * McGraw Hill Education
 * Mercury
 * Pearson
 * Wiley

Content provided by publishers can be categorized in three broad categories: Course packs and cartridges; Ebooks; and Course sites.

Course packs and cartridges
Publishers will often provide test banks, question libraries and PowerPoint slides for textbooks. These files are often downloaded individually from a publishers secured course site after the book has been purchased. Sometimes the entire group of resources can be downloaded together in a format known as Common Cartridge or SCORM. Using these open standards allows the resources to be added to any learning management systems which adheres to the standard, Desire2Learn included.

Ebooks
Publishers are often now selling electronic versions of their printed textbooks. Some publishers allow individuals who have purchased the book access to a digital copy in PDF form. In cases where the electronic version of the book is online as part of a publisher's course site, instructors can link to the readings as they would link to any external website.

Additionally we have found a wealth of free and open access textbooks emerging on the internet. A number of these texts can be accessed through University of Minnesota Open Textbook Catalog and Rice University's Connexions project Please also refer to this blog post for a comprehensive list of open textbook providers.

Course sites
Publishers are more recently providing their own learning management systems hosting content and facilitating activities which support their textbooks. One caveat of this model is the need for the student to authenticate in the publisher's system often through the release of personal information required to create an account. Instructors should be aware of FIPPA when advising students to use these environments.