York U.'s CulTech Hosts Web Conference on Digital Distance Education Copyright Issues: "Fair Use/Fair Dealing and National Treatment in Digital Education"

TORONTO, June 1, 1999 -- With personal computers and the World Wide Web opening the door to innovative distance education opportunities for students of higher learning, the application of copyright laws for digital learning materials has become the focus of much debate among copyright owners, educators and legislators across Canada and the United States.

Leading legal, industry and academic copyright experts will guide participants through some of that discussion during a seminar, entitled Fair Use/Fair Dealing and National Treatment in Digital Education, at York University, Wednesday, June 9, 1999, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Senate Chamber, N940 Ross Bldg. The seminar will be simultaneously webcast by Ericsson Professional Services, Ericsson Canada Inc. Participants will be able to watch, listen and post questions and comments online.

The seminar, which is co-sponsored by CulTech Research Centre at York University and Sheridan College and the United States Consular Office (Toronto), will examine such questions as: "How do universities and educators address copyright issues on the Internet when the Internet does not respect borders or different national conventions in copyright law?

CulTech is an independent, non-profit Canadian applied research and development centre located at York University. It focuses on mediated communications, including video, film, music, theatre, publishing, telephony, computers, and digital networks. Its special interest is interactivity, where people can change the course of events as they unfold. CulTech conducts research at the intersection of culture and technology from the user's perspective, and investigates the impacts of technological change.

WHO:

CANCOPY executive director Andrew Martin

Copyright Clearance Center (U.S.) general counsel Frederic Haber

Association of American Universities executive V.P. John Vaughn

Osler, Hoskin, and Harcourt copyright lawyer Glen Bloom

WHAT:
Seminar/Web conference Fair Use/Fair Dealing and National Treatment in Digital Education
Co-sponsored by York University's CulTech, Sheridan College, and the United States Consular Office (Toronto)

WHEN:
Wednesday, June 9, 1999, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Senate Chamber, N940 Ross Bldg. (North Elevators)
York University, 4700 Keele Street

-30-

For more information, please contact:

Don Berkowitz
CulTech Research Centre
York University
(416) 736-5405, ext. 3
Email: donb@yorku.ca

Ken Turriff
Media Relations Officer
York University
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22086
Email: kturriff@yorku.ca
YU/066/99