Streaming Video Options for Educators

United States Copyright Law provides important exceptions to the rights of copyright holders that are specifically aimed at nonprofit educational institutions and libraries. Three provisions of the copyright statute are of particular importance to teachers and researchers:

• A provision that grants teachers and students the right to publicly display and perform copyrighted works in the classroom (Section 110 of U.S. Copyright Law).
• A provision that establishes special exemptions for the reproduction of copyrighted works by libraries and archives (Section 108 of US Copyright Law).
• A provision that codifies the doctrine of "fair use," which allows limited copying of copyrighted works without the permission of the owner for certain teaching and research purposes (Section 107 of US Copyright Law).

The TEACH Act of 2002 was intended to give educators the freedom to display videos, audio, and images as part of online courses, too, but along with this freedom came a lengthy set of requirements for instructors, their institutions, and their distance education technology.

Many universities and libraries find it easier to rely on Fair Use, video subscriptions, and open-licensed videos, instead of trying to comply with the TEACH Act's long list of requirements.  

If you are interested in learning more about the TEACH Act, its requirements, and how to use the TEACH Act in your online teaching, check out the following links: