The online workbook is now found at LingroLearning: https://www.lingrolearning.com/courses/acessohub/

Comprehensiveness: “Comprehensive” is one of the most fitting descriptors of Acceso. It is a robust text through which intermediate-level learners explore cultural products, practices, and perspectives from the Spanish-speaking world. Students access texts (in the broad sense of the term) created by and for members of the target culture, such as news articles, music, interviews, and works of art. These texts are glossed, include brief comprehension checks, and draw attention to key vocabulary items and structures. Of the eight units, each is laid out with the same structure; separate vocabulary and grammar sections are separate from the unit itself. This design guides students to focus on using Spanish for meaning and content first, with the supporting vocabulary and grammar available to facilitate comprehension and discussion of the materials.

Accuracy: The content is accurate; there may be a copy-paste typo here or there, but an email to the contact person quickly resolves the matter. Given that this curriculum is maintained and developed by faculty, it is impressive that there are no more errors—perhaps even fewer—than might be found in materials produced by a commercial publisher.
In terms of bias, it is difficult to assert that any content authored by others can be entirely bias-free, however Acceso is among the better curricular materials that I’ve used and reviewed when it comes to intentionally working to avoid bias.

Relevance: One of Acceso’s strengths is its text-based approach in curricular design, which means including online content that features historical and contemporary topics. The pieces appear to have been selected to withstand changing times because the themes are often universal, lasting, or offer a connection to more updated contexts. For example, a section on detention centers may be viewed differently depending on the current sociopolitical context, and the overarching topic of what happens to undocumented immigrants is not likely to become a non-issue anytime soon.

Should a topic included in the various sections of a unit become out-of-date or undesirable, replacing it with more relevant and appropriate content would be reasonably easy to do—especially compared to a print textbook.

Clarity: Acceso’s Spanish materials are scaffolded for intermediate-level Spanish learners, and the authors make clear that students are not expected to understand everything they read or hear. Rather, the idea is to comprehend the messages and cultural information on a general level. It is important for instructors to continually remind students of this fact, as well as help equip them with comprehension strategies to avoid frustration, the desire to directly translate every word, or to memorize too many discrete items.

Many grammar explanations are provided in student-friendly language, and helpful examples are provided with translations. There are also concise videos that are helpful in a flipped-classroom or remote learning context.

Consistency: Acceso uses consistent terminology, and the framework is predictable. Dialectical differences are addressed and potentially difficult lexical items are often glossed with synonyms instead of direct English translations.

Modularity: The framework of Acceso is divided among useful categories, with a variety of subtopics within each. Some sections, such as a grammar page, are quite lengthy even though they include numbered sections with headings. A preferable interface would include an overview with hyperlinks to the various page sections, rather than relying on users to scroll and search.

The text is carefully scaffolded and the content builds on itself to some degree, but it is possible to assign some items without students missing future references. It also allows for student choice, for example, should an instructor wish to ask students to go through three out of nine cultural themes in the Almanaque section of a unit.

Organization: As noted previously, the organization is straightforward, predictable, and methodical. Students being each unit with an introduction that orients them to the cultural and linguistic goals for the unit. The authors provide a justification of the content and structure, which can be useful to students as well as instructors.

Interface: Because any online resource is a dynamic text, there may be an occasional broken link or technical glitch. I have found these problems to be rare, particularly because the content editors are also using the materials in their own courses. When I have found a snag, an email to the contact person has resulted in a prompt repair. To my knowledge, the images, videos, and other display features are accessible and effective for all learners.

Grammatical: The grammar is accurate; there are no glaring issues and I’ve only found a copy-paste typo here or there. An email to the contact person quickly resolves the matter. Again, it is impressive that there are no more errors—perhaps even fewer—than might be found in materials produced by a commercial publisher.

Cultural: I was impressed that Acceso’s first unit is on the United States—not to center it as a dominating global power, but to help students think about Spanish speakers and LatinX people as a part of their own community instead of as a “foreign” group. There are a variety of perspectives and themes range from immigration, marriage equality, colonization, and indigenous rights. Those that I have explored are often presented using primary sources, allowing students the space to grapple with complex issues and develop their own informed understanding, particularly when supported by their instructors. I find this approach to be much more effective and appropriate than the stock photos, cultural blurbs, and surface-level content that numerous commercial textbooks offer.

Comprehensiveness: This textbook is very comprehensive – we are currently using it as part of our 2000-level, intermediate Spanish program. Acceso is divided into 8 chapters and contains two additional sections which focus on the grammar and vocabulary covered throughout the textbook. This is an accessible book for students and offers a variety of interactive sections in each chapter, such as “Voces” and “Perspectivas.”

Content Accuracy: I have yet to find any issues with the content provided in the textbook. So far, I am impressed by the cultural relevance of each activity and the intent to provide unique perspectives on hot-topic issues, like “El conflicto humano-naturaleza.”

Relevance/Longevity: As with any textbook, contemporary issues or political relevance tends to be difficult to maintain. That being said, Acceso makes a noteworthy effort to stay relevant. Most of the readings and topic discussions have been updated within the last year or two. I sense that due to its use of web-based content, this textbook has the possibility of outlasting many traditional textbooks that might require new, printed editions periodically.

Clarity: The grammar and vocabulary sections are very clear and offer excellent tutorials and videos, mainly from graduate students and instructors from The University of Kansas. A few of the more complex readings in the “Almanaque” sections can be somewhat dense for students in an intermediate Spanish course.

Consistency: Acceso is consistent. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction and contains the same content sections, such as “Aperturas” and “Un paso más.” I really appreciate the clear learning objectives, both grammatical and cultural, stated at the beginning of each chapter.

Organization/Structure/Flow: Overall, the organization and structure of Acceso makes pedagogical sense. For example, I love how the textbook addresses the geographical make-up of Spanish-speaking Latin America and the Caribbean. This is most clearly highlighted by the chapter entitled “Caribe continental,” which aims to incorporate ideas and cultural references of the greater Caribbean into an intermediate Spanish course.

Cultural Relevance: In terms of cultural relevance in the Spanish-speaking world, this is where Acceso really shines. Since each chapter focuses on a specific geographical region, students are introduced to historical and cultural texts, movies, and documentary shorts that relate directly to the featured countries. For example, students can read a brief synopsis of the current political and economic situation in Venezuela and then listen to an informative podcast on the most recent developments.

Other Comments: Overall, Acceso is an excellent example of an Open Educational Resource for undergraduate Spanish programs. It is a comprehensive and extremely interactive textbook aimed at the intermediate-level learning of Spanish. The only drawback of Acceso is the lack of available grammar practice. However, there is a supplemental, online workbook called “LingroHub” that offers students the opportunity to implement what they learned in Acceso’s grammar sections. LingroHub does charge a nominal fee (I believe $40 in 2021), but it provides plenty of computer- and instructor-graded activities for students.