There is no question that distance education/hybrid classrooms have thrown a wrinkle into how educators consider how to use copyrighted dramatic video in the classroom. Earlier copyright law, in Section 110, offered teachers exemptions to a copyright owner’s exclusive right to display or perform material if certain criteria were met. However, those exemptions were for face-to-face instruction. Guidelines for use in the digital classroom did not become clear until the TEACH Act became law in 2002. The provisions of that law have now been made a part of Section 110(2) of the copyright law and give more flexibility to display video and other material in the digital classroom, but  where you can show an entire copyrighted video in face-to-face instruction, you are only allowed to show clips in the digital classroom.

One of the most useful sites to help teachers comply with the requirements of Section 110(2) related to the transmission of a dramatic copyrighted work is the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s TEACH Act Toolkit. Their expanded checklist is particularly helpful.

In UPSem’s hybrid/ECP classes, we still work within the broader exemptions of section 110 when students are on campus. But when you require students to watch video during the online portion of the course, you’ll need to be familiar with the ways that copyright law allows you to do this. You can find more links related to the TEACH Act/Section 110(2) on the IRC Copyright page.

If you want students to watch an entire copyrighted dramatic work online, the IRC might be able to help you find licensed streaming content. Give us a call and we’re glad to help you navigate the complicated world of copyright.