Using Materials in Distance Education and eLearning

Check out some information about using materials in Distance Education and eLearning below!

The Copyright Resources Center provides information on copyright basics, using works in a distance learning environment, and best practices for finding and using public domain and openly licensed sources (including Creative Commons).

When do you need permission to use a copyrighted work in your online course?

Copyright law provides two important statutory exceptions for distance learning: the TEACH Act and fair use. Using materials in distance learning: A guide to 110(2) (the TEACH Act) will guide you through all of the requirements outlined in the TEACH Act to determine if you may rely on this statutory exception to perform or display a work in an online setting. You may also consider whether your use of a work constitutes fair use. Use the fair use checklist app to work through all of the fair use factors.

Looking for works that are free of copyright restrictions or works that are openly licensed?

The Copyright Resources Center has a growing list of public domain and openly licensed materials.

When using a Creative Commons licensed work, you must provide attribution to the copyright owner. Use this Creative Commons Attribution Guide to review the elements required for attribution and to view sample attribution statements.

If you cannot rely on a statutory exception, such as the TEACH Act or fair use, and the copyrighted work is not available under an open license, you must seek permission from the copyright owner to use the work. More information on the approval process and sample permission forms are available at go.osu.edu/permission.

Questions?

The Copyright Resources Center at University Libraries provides copyright education and guidance to faculty, staff, and students of the University. Information and resources are available on our website at go.osu.edu/copyright. You can reach out to us for any of your copyright questions by phone (614.688.5849) or email (libcopyright@osu.edu).