Abstract

Copyright is the world's most recognizable form of intellectual property, yet perhaps the most misunderstood form of intellectual property in Educational Technology. What isn't always clear is that “copyright” constitutes an economic right, distinct from droits d'auteur or “the moral rights of the author,” meaning the right to be acknowledged for one's work. Copyright laws differ from country to country. The differences depend on the jurisdiction and the type of law practiced (i.e., common or civil), the economic interests of the copyright holders, the interests of the users in the protected work, and sometimes conflicts with other laws, such as privacy and free speech. This chapter discusses ownership of online course materials and methods by a solo faculty member, often referred to as a “Lone Ranger,” who handles everything, and that of several committee members, or a “Posse,” who contribute to an online course in various ways. This chapter also separates the lawful protections for interface and database expressions within a Learning Management System.