BFW Publishers Accessibility

"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, BFW Publishers 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 BFW Publishers Support site. These articles are a quick way to get information on subjects such such as Tips and Tricks for Using Achieve with a Screenreader or having your downloaded e-book read aloud to you.

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

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 and/or visit the support site:

BFW Publishers 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 BFW High School Publishers textbooks in a compressed, encrypted file and can then read the material using adaptive technology or Braille access devices, such as refreshable Braille displays. 

If you are unable to find the accessible materials you need from our partners, please submit a support request. When filling out the request form, please select Accessibility / Disability Services under the Topic drop-down. 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 Bedford, Freeman & Worth, we will never ask users about private information, such as medical records.

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.

At BFW Publishers, 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 BFW Publishers. 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. BFW Publishers 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, BFW Publishers supports employees with an Employee Resource Group: AVID@ML (Awareness of Visible & Invisible Disabilities), which provides a forum for BFW Publishers 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 BFW Publishers through education initiatives. AVID@ML supports BFW Publishers'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.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts at BFW Publishers are guided by our Diversity Council. This council is composed of department heads across the organization. They work closely with business leaders to ensure tight alignment with the organization's overall business strategy and to help institutionalize human capital practices that support and accelerate DEI goals. Company wide communications from council members speak to strategic accountability, governance and oversight on DEI related efforts, and integration of DEI to BFW Publishers' mission, operations, strategies, and business objectives.

Transparent, current, focused, and accurate information about accessibility is essential for the purchase and sale of technology products and services that people with disabilities can use. BFW Publishers’ Accessibility Procurement process covers vendors / suppliers who provide digital content, functionality, systems, services or hardware that employees or applicants may interface with including:

• Services involving design, development or testing of content, services or functionality for – or that render interfaces for – the Web, mobile, emails, and voice response.
• Software – whether web, mobile, cloud-based.
• Document services such as design, creation, and implementation of PDFs, presentations, other digital documents, spreadsheets (whether for dialog or analog distribution).
• Video, audio or multimedia – including video, audio, or multimedia content (live or pre-recorded) and media players or other mechanisms for playing and controlling media.
• Telecommunications products – including wired, analog and digital wireless, and Internet based products.
• Self-contained, closed products – Products that have embedded software and are commonly designed in such a fashion that users cannot easily attach or install assistive technology. This includes kiosks, copiers, printers, and other similar types of products.
• Hardware – including desktops, laptops, mobile devices or other handhelds, workstations, and servers.
• Communication channels.

We expect that all technology will be tested for accessibility during the development process and at time of delivery, and that testing protocols and results will be documented and provided to us in a timely fashion. Our organization may verify testing results at time of delivery.

Suppliers are asked to provide a person / group(s) in their organization responsible for accessibility generally, including contact information. A series of accessibility support related questions are conveyed to potential new suppliers to improve our understanding of the suppliers accessibility commitment.

It is the responsibility of our suppliers to correct accessibility defects revealed during the development and testing processes and after product delivery to the best of your ability as technology permits.

We expect our vendors to show their commitment to digital accessibility by maintaining a public accessibility statement that includes contact information for the person/s responsible for accessibility.

Page last updated April 11, 2024.