Aleph's TEACH Act inSL

TEACH Act in Second Life

TEACH Act

Following is a review of the discussions and information regarding Teach Act inSL. This is what I have been able to find through Google search, on the SLED blog and from some personal communications with participants of the SLED blog. I have tried to reference everyone specifically when I have used specific wording or ideas. These are not by any means the final words on the subject but I hope this can help continue the discussion of TEACH related issues inSL. Many of us will be tasked with creating guidelines and helping incorporate Second Life into existing policies and procedures of our institutions; hopefully, we can eventually provide some clarity to even the disagreements.

Aleph Blessed

Teach Act: Copyright and Distance Education (Overview of my personal opinion of Key Issues)

The TEACH Act Checklist provides an opportunity to review key issues.

Publicly Viewable – all space in SL is essentially publically viewable.

Secure Viewing – Currently, password protected URLs are the only recommended method of making copyright material viewable for Second Life students. [ Institution specific instruction: Access protected material only through institutional URLs. Other tools are under consideration and will be announced when tested and approved.]

1) TEACH Act and Second Life

TEACH says it is not copyright infringement for teachers and students at an accredited, nonprofit educational institution to transmit performances and displays of copyrighted works as part of a course if certain conditions are met. If these conditions are not or cannot be met, use of the material will have to qualify as a fair use or permission from the copyright holder(s) must be obtained. In general, compliance responsibilities fall into four categories: (need reference).

Promulgate copyright policies and
Provide accurate information about copyright and
Promote copyright compliance and
Provide notice to students that course materials may be copyrighted

See http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/legislative/teachkit/overview.html for an over view and your [institution] policies and other information. A checklist which provides a good outline of compliance issues for TEACH Act is attached.

Aleph’s Personal Tips for restricting access to copyright material in SL.

Some types of display boards and SLTV or video viewers in SL are visible to anyone in the vicinity—and with camera controls and the ability to penetrate walls for over 100 meters what might seem like physical barriers are not barriers at all. It is not advisable to project copyrighted material using any of these devices.

At this time [our institution’s policy is that] copyrighted material should only be made available as URL link through approved institution software. This will require any user to enter username and password and will assure that all precautions are in place. A URL link in Second Life will open a window for the user and allow them to remain in Second Life. The student may then reposition and resize the window to fit their monitor landscape and personal preferences.

Attachment

TEACH Act Checklist

(AS accessed from: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/legislative/teachkit/overview.html)

PDF Version
Requirements	Complies
Accredited nonprofit educational institution
Institutional copyright use policy
Educational materials on copyright available
Work is not a digital educational work
Work is lawfully made and acquired
Work is integral to class session
Work is part of systematic mediated instructional activities
Work is directly related/material assistance to teaching
Work is (check one):
Nondramatic literary work (may use all)
Nondramatic musical work (may use all)
Reasonable and limited portion of any other work (for a performance) OR
Display of any work in amount analogous to live classroom setting
Reception limited to students enrolled in course
Reasonable downstream controls instituted
No retention of work longer than class session
No dissemination beyond recipient
For conversions of analog to digital
No digital version available to institution
Digital version available is technologically protected
Warning notice to students present on work

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