Online and Distance Education (T.E.A.C.H. Act)

The TEACH Act (Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization) is a provision of copyright law that covers the performance or display of copyrighted works in distance learning and in the online or distance components of face-to face courses that utilize these.

If you are teaching a distance or online course, or include a distance or online component in a face-to-face course, you can use copyright protected audio or video materials if you abide by the following guidelines:

  • These materials must be used as part of your instruction.
  • These materials must have a direct connection to the current curriculum.
  • Only students who are officially registered in the course may have access to these materials.
  • Once the instruction is over, any copies of these materials must be immediately made irretrievable.
  • The party which transmits these materials (the instructor, school, etc.) must be responsible for protecting the copyrighted materials.

Resources

Guide to the TEACH Act: Explanation of the details of the TEACH Act from the University System of Georgia.

The TEACH Act Toolkit: Details on the TEACH Act from the University of Texas.

TEACH Act: The American Library Association clarifies the details of the TEACH Act.

Roles, Rules, and Responsibilities: A brief guide to the TEACH Act from the Copyright Clearance Center.

FAQs

Online and Distance Learning