Copyright is the set of exclusive legal rights creators have over published and unpublished works. The Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act, signed into law November 2, 2002, updates previous U.S. copyright laws to apply to distance education settings. Used in conjunction with previously established Fair Use and Safe Harbor guidelines, The TEACH Act qualifies and quantifies the use of copyrighted material online. For example, it limits access to copyrighted works to students currently enrolled in the class for the time needed to complete the class session or course. Compliance is expected from institutional policymakers, information technology staff, instructors and students.

The TEACH Act has generated widespread interest (and confusion) pertaining to what kinds of materials can be presented online using various media. Questions for discussion include:

1. How are institutions of higher education disseminating information about online uses of copyrighted materials to faculty, staff and students?

2. What issues have been surfacing regarding this law in the past two years as institutions, staff, faculty and students gain more experience administering, teaching, and learning online?

3. What are some specific questions that have arisen about use of copyrighted materials online—and how have these been addressed?