Here is a deadset wacky dingo-in-the chookhouse response from DownUnder.
It seems to me that everything I read about US education is focused on
results, results, results, and, through this list, particularly in reading
with mega-bucks being spent on AR and so on.
We have to acknowledge that, by just using a Bell curve distribution, many
of our students are going to have difficulty becoming competent and
confident readers without having any extra handicaps such as physical,
learning or emotional difficulties. Therefore, if we want to give them the
best opportunity to be able to achieve what so many of us take for granted,
and attain those results everyone is so focused on, we need to look at ways
that we can give them access to the print resources we expect them to use,
including being able to change the format from print to audio or whatever it
is that will meet their needs. So, instead of this being illegal because of
copyright law, or expensive because of permissions payment, is there a need
to have the actual law changed so that such adaptations come under fair use
guidelines in an educational setting.
If no child is to be left behind, then we have to consider giving some of
them a head start, or at least, an alternative route.
Sybil gave us a lot of information about how it can be done for those who
have physical disabilities but maybe there is a need for educators to
agitate to have these definitions expanded. I have no idea how you would go
about it but I put the idea up for the consideration of those of you who do.
The power of LM_NET could be a very useful weapon.
In Australia, our education departments (which are state-based, not
district) pay copyright agencies such as CAL, Screenrights, APRA & AMCOS for
licences which allow Australian teachers and students to use things much
more freely than regular copyright law allows. These licences are on a per
student capita basis and are second only to salaries as a proportion of the
education budget but they do mean that we can use/ do almost whatever we
need to give our students the very best. I believe that because of these
licences making things easier, there are actually fewer copyright breaches
than really stringent laws that ask to be flouted through frustration.
I am following up the "change of format" rules here to see if we have that
right under the licences, and if not, will be agitating for change.
Barbara
Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA
T. 02 6205 6162
F. 02 6205 7242
E. barbara@austarmetro.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
"Together, we learn from each other."
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