7 Understanding CC licence compatibility
Before you start combining licences:
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Download this free template, Record of Permissions (Excel download). It will help you keep track of third-party copyright content permissions.
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Watch this video about Combining Creative Commons Licences for OERs [4:15]
Video: Combining Creative Commons Licences for OERs [4:15] by Florida Virtual Campus is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
‘Creator’ versus ‘user’ licences
You need to understand the different types of CC licences, as both a potential user and creator of OER.
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As a potential OER user (adapter), you will review others’ OER for material to reuse. The terms of the licence will specify exactly how you may reuse the resource (Adapter’s licence).
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As a potential OER creator [of original content], you will need to think about what types of reuse, modification, translation and remix of your work you will permit before you select your CC licence (Original licence).
General Rules
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If the original work is licensed with BY or BY-NC, your adapter’s licence must include the same licence elements as the licence applied to the original. For example, if you adapt a BY-NC work, you will apply BY-NC to your adaptation. If you adapt a BY work, you can apply BY or BY-NC to your adaptation.
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If the original work is licensed with BY-SA or BY-NC-SA, your adapter’s licence must be the same licence applied to the original or designated as compatible with the original licence.
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If the original work is licensed with BY-ND or BY-NC-ND, you cannot distribute adaptations.
Licence compatibility
Licence compatibility is the term used to address the issue of which types of licensed works can be adapted into a new work.
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Simple scenario: When creating an adaptation of a CC-licensed work, the simplest scenario is when you take a single CC-licensed work and adapt it.
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More complicated scenario: The more complicated scenario is when you are adapting two or more CC-licensed works into a new work.
For either situation, think about your options for licensing the copyright you have in your adaptation (your Adapter’s Licence).
Note:
- Your rights in your adaptation only apply to your own contributions.
- The original licence continues to govern the reuse of the elements from the original work that you used when creating your adaptation.
REMIXING CHARTS
Chart 1: How licences can be combined
The remix chart below shows which CC licences can be combined.
To use the chart, find a licence that applies to one of the works on the left column and the licence that applies to the other work on the top right row.
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If there is a checkmark in the box where that row and column intersect: The works under those two licences can be remixed.
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If there is an “X” in the box: The works may not be remixed unless an exception or limitation applies.
Chart 2: Licences that can be applied to your work
Use this Adapters License Chart to determine which licence to apply to your own work (Adapter’s Licence) by comparing it to the original work. Use it to select an adapter’s licence.
Note: PD = Public Domain.
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Green boxes (OK to use this licence for your work): When creating an adaptation of material under the licence identified in the left-hand column, you may licence your contributions to the adaptation under one of the licences indicated on the top row if the corresponding box is green.
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Yellow boxes (technically permitted, but not recommended for your work): If the corresponding box is yellow CC does not recommend using a licence. If you do use the licence, mark the adaptation as involving multiple copyrights under different terms so that downstream users know their obligations to comply with the licences from all rights holders.
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Dark grey boxes (don’t use this licence for your work): Grey boxes indicate those licences you may not use as your adapter’s licence.
Below is a variation on the above adapter’s licence chart which you can also use to select an adapter’s licence:
