What is the TEACH Act?
The TEACH Act stands for the Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act of 2002. The purpose of the TEACH Act is to provide online classes a way to perform or display copyrighted materials. However, there are very strict requirements to invoke the TEACH Act for copyrighted materials.
What is not covered under the TEACH Act?
- Anything that's produced and sold for performance or display as part of a digitally transmitted mediated instructional activity. This you have to buy or license. This includes videos that were created as instructional materials and are available for purchase in a streaming format.
- Illegally acquired copies of materials. For example, you cannot go to a movie theatre and digitally film a movie to show in your online class.
What is covered under the TEACH Act providing that other conditions are met?
- Complete performances of non-dramatic literary and musical works
- Limited portions of other works
What sort of other conditions are required?
- The work must be an integral part of the class session and relates to the content being taught
- Must be analogous to what you would use in a face-to-face class
- Materials cannot be used for entertainment purposes
- Materials cannot replace a textbook
- Must be used within the learning management system (LMS) so that only students enrolled in the class has access
- Has to be provided in a format that prevents downloading and saving by students for future viewing
- You need to provide a statement to students that the work is copyrighted
Adapted from ALA's TEACH Act Summary of the Report on Copyright and Digital Distance Education This link opens in a new window.
