Restrictions impeding web-based courses: a survey of publishers' variation in authorising access to high quality on-line literature

Abstract

BackgroundWeb-based delivery of educational programmes is becoming increasingly popular and is expected to expand, especially in medicine. The successful implementation of these programmes is reliant on their ability to provide access to web based materials, including high quality published work. Publishers' responses to requests to access health literature in the context of developing an electronic Master's degree course are described.MethodsTwo different permission requests were submitted to publishers. The first was to store an electronic version of a journal article, to which we subscribe, on a secure password protected server. The second was to reproduce extracts of published material on password protected web pages and CD Rom.ResultsEight of 16 publishers were willing to grant permission to store electronic versions of articles without levying charges additional to the subscription. Twenty of 35 publishers gave permission to reproduce extracts of published work at no fee. Publishers' responses were highly variable to the requests for access to published material. This may be influenced by vague terminology within the 'fair dealing' provision in the copyright legislation, which seems to leave it open to individual interpretation. Considerable resource costs were incurred by the exercise. Time expended included those incurred by us: research to identify informed representatives within the publishing organisation, request 'chase-ups' and alternative examples being sought if publishers were uncooperative; and the publisher when dealing with numerous permission requests. Financial costs were also incurred by both parties through additional staffing and paperwork generated by the permission process, the latter including those purely borne by educators due to the necessary provision of photocopy 'course packs' when no suitably alternative material could be found if publishers were uncooperative. Finally we discuss the resultant bias in material towards readily available electronic resources as a result of publisher's uncooperative stance and encourage initiatives that aim to improve open electronic access.ConclusionsThe permission request process has been expensive and has resulted in reduced access for students to the relevant literature. Variations in the responses from publishers suggest that for educational purposes common policies could be agreed and unnecessary restrictions removed in the future.

Development of a teaching module for parenteral drug administration and objective structured practical examination stations in pharmacology

“…Similar findings were noted by the other studies that had assessed perception of students’ ona similar examination. [ 25 ] In our study, the students perceived OSPE stressful probably because they were facing it for the first time or could be because of inadequate preparation. Only few students were confident of performing these skills in the future while rest were not.…”

IRRODL Volume 5, Number 3

“…The disparate problems are known to content developers in many different institutions. Langlois, Heller, Edwards, Lyratzopoulos, and Sandars (2004) note their difficulties in obtaining copyright permissions even from those who were perfectly willing to provide them at no charge. The first difficulty is actually tracing down who owns the copyright.…”