July 30, 2025 — VoiceThread, the multimedia discussion platform known for transforming how students engage in online and hybrid courses, is now available for purchase through both VitalSource and RedShelf as part of their Inclusive Access programs.

These partnerships significantly expand access to VoiceThread by enabling campus bookstores to offer the tool directly to students and faculty using systems already in place at colleges and universities across the country.

“Many institutions are moving to inclusive access models to provide faculty with greater choice in teaching tools while ensuring affordability for students,” said Steve Muth, co-founder and president of VoiceThread. “By partnering with VitalSource and RedShelf, we’re meeting educators where they are — and making it easier than ever to make authentic human interactions an everyday part of the student experience.”

VoiceThread allows students to create and comment on multimedia presentations using video, audio, and text — giving every learner a chance to participate and communicate in their own voice. This approach doesn’t just deepen engagement — it builds real understanding, supports universal design for learning, and helps mitigate the rise of generative AI misuse by requiring authentic, human responses.

Used across disciplines, VoiceThread empowers instructors to assess student learning more meaningfully while fostering equitable participation in both synchronous and asynchronous environments. With built-in accessibility features and flexible response modes, the platform is designed to meet the needs of all learners — including those with disabilities and diverse learning preferences.

With this new distribution channel, educators can adopt VoiceThread more easily by working with their campus bookstore to integrate the tool into their course materials. Students gain access at a reduced price, typically included with their course fees.

Faculty who are interested in using VoiceThread through VitalSource or RedShelf can contact their campus bookstore or reach out to VoiceThread directly at [email protected].